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^HHals  of  Wyoming 


^ol.  14 


January,   1942 


1^ 


V^y  No.  1 


A  HISTORICAL  MAGAZI 


COLONEL  WILLIAM  FREDERICK  CODY 

In  background,  the  main  tent  of  the  Buffalo  Bill  Wild  West  Show  and  a  Concord 
Stagecoach,  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  June  11,   1911. 


Publislu'd    Qii.-iitorly 
By 

THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Cheveniu'.  \Vv(>iiiinir 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

LYRASIS  IVIembers  and  Sloan  Foundation 


http://www.archive.org/details/annalsofwyom14141942wyom 


A^^als  of  Wyoming 

Vol.  14  January,  1942  No.  1 

Contents  p,g, 

THE  WINTEE  OF  1886-87  IN  WYOMING 5 

By   Alfred   Larson 
ACTIVITIES    AND    PLANS,    FIFTH    JUDICIAL    DISTRICT    COM- 
MITTEE, WYOMING  STATE  HISTORICAL  ADVISORY 

BOARD 18 

By  Helen  Custer  Bishop 

COLONEL  CODY'S  DREAM  OF  A  PIONEER  CENTER— 

A  REALITY 20 

By  Mary  Jester  Allen 
THE  CODYS  IN  LE  CLAIRE 24 

By  F.  M.  F'ryxell,  From  the  Annals  of  Iowa 
THE  EXPEDITION  OF  PRESIDENT  CHESTER  A.  ARTHUR  TO 

YELLOWSTONE   NATIONAL   PARK   IN   1883 31 

By  Jack  Ellis  Haynes 
THE  FORTY- FOURTH   STAR 38 

By   Harriet   Slack 
COLONIZATION  OF  THE  BIG  HORN  BASIN  BY  THE 

MORMONS     39 

By  Eliza   R.  Lythgoe 
MYSTERIES   OF   THE    PAST 51 

By  Mary  Hughes  Frost 
THE.  MEDICINE   WHEEL .- 55 

By  Lorna  Kooi  Simpson,  From  the   Cody  Enterprise, 

Cody,  Wyoming 

INTERESTING  STATISTICS  ON  DEFENSE  ACTIVITIES 

IN  WYOMING,  WORLD  WAR  1 60 

HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT, 
PIONEER  HISTORIAN,  AND  HERETOFORE 
UNPUBLISHED,  Chapters  XX  and  XXI 65 

ACCESSIONS  to  the  Wyoming  Historical  Department 83 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

COLONEL  WILLIAM  FREDERICK  CODY,  CONCORD.  NEW 

HAMPSHIRE,  June  11,  1911 Front   Cover 

WYOMING    STATE    MUSEUM— 1942 4 

PRESIDENTIAL  PARTY  AT  UPPER  GEYSER  BASIN 32 

ROUTE  OF  PRESIDENTIAL   EXPEDITION,   1883 Facing  35 

CAMP  BISHOP  ON   THE  WIND   RIVER 36 

THE    TEPEE    RINGS 52 

THE   MEDICINE    WHEEL 57 


Published  Quarterly  by 

THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Chevenne,  Wvoming 


The  State  Historical  Board,  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board 
and  the  State  tlistorical  Department  assumes  no  responsibility  for  any 
statement  of  fact  or  opinion  expressed  bv  contributors  to  the  ANNALS 
OF  WYOMING. 


The  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department  invites  the  presentation 
of  museum  items,  letters,  diaries,  family  histories  and  manuscripts  of 
Wyoming  citizens.  It  welcomes  the  writings  and  observations  of  those 
familiar  with  important  and  significant  events  in  the  State's  history. 

In  all  ways  the  Department  strives  to  present  to  the  people  of  Wyo- 
ming and  the  Nation  a  true  picture  of  the  State.  The  historical  maga- 
zine, ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  is  one  medium  through  which  the 
Department  seeks  to  gain  this  objective.  All  communications  concerning 
the  ANNALS  should  be  addressed  to  Mrs.  Gladys  F.  Riley,  Wyoming 
Historical  Department,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming. 


This  magazine  is  sent  free  of  charge  to  all  State  Officials,  heads  of 
State  Departments,  members  of  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board, 
Wyoming  County  Libraries  and  Wyoming  newspapers. 

It  is  published  in  January,  April,  July  and  October.  Subscription 
price,  .$1.00  per  year;  single  copies,  35c. 


Entered  as  second-class  matter  September  10,  1941,  at  the  Post  Office  in  Cheyenne, 
Wyoming,   under  the  Act  of  August  24,    1912. 


Copyright,  1942,  by  the  Wyoming  Historical  Department. 


STATE  HISTORICAL  BOARD 

Nels    H.    Smith,    President Governor 

Lester   C.   Hunt Secretary    of    State 

Wm.  "Scotty"  Jack State   Auditor 

Mart  T.  C'hristensen State   Treasurer 

Esther  L.  Anderson     ....       Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 
Gladys  F.  Riley,  Secretary     ....       State  Librarian  and  Historian 


STATE  HISTORICAL  ADVISORY  BOARD 


Mrs.  Mary  Jester  Allen,  Cody 

Frank  Barrett,  Lusk 

George  Bible,  Rawlins 

Mrs.  T.  K.  Bishop,  Basin 

C.  Watt  Brandon,  Kemnierer 

J.  Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee 

Struthers  Burt,  Moran 

Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byran,  Sheridan 

Mrs.  G.  C.  Call,  Afton 

Oliver  J.  Colyer,  Torrington 

J.  L.  Cook,  Sundance 

Mrs.  Esther  Crook,  Fairview 

William  C.  Deming,  Cheyenne 

Mrs.  Robert  Douglas,  Newcastle 

Dr.  William  Frackelton,  Sheridan 

Paul  Prison,  Ten  Sleep 

E.  A.  Gaensslen,  Green  River 

Hans  Gautschi,  Lusk 

Burt  Griggs,  Buffalo 

G.  R.  Hagens,  Casper 

R.  H.  Hall,  Lander 

Jack  Haynes,  Yellowstone  Park 

D.  B.  Hilt 


L.  B.  Howard,  Rock  Springs 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hunter,  Gillette 
Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Jacobucci,  Green  River 
P.  W.  Jenkins,  Big  Piney 
E.  V.  Knight,  Laramie 
W.  C.  Laurence,  Moran 
E.  A.  Logan,  Cheyenne 
Howard  B.  Lott,  Buffalo 
Mrs.  Eliza  Lythgoe,  Cowley 
R.  E.  MacLeod,  Torrington 
James  L.  Mcintosh,  Split  Rock 
A.  J.  Mokler,  Casper 
Mrs.  Elmer  K.  Nelson,  Laramie 
L.  L.  Newton,  Lander 
R.  I.  dinger,  Newcastle 
Charles  Oviatt,  Sheridan 
Mrs.  Minnie  Reitz,  Wheatland 
E.  B.  Shaffner,  Douglas 
Mrs.  Efiie  Shaw,  Cody 
Mrs.  Tom  Sun,  Rawlins 
John  Charles  Thompson,  Clieyenne 
Russell   Thorp,  Cheyenne 
on,  Sundance 


STAFF  PERSONNEL 

OF 

THE   WYOMING   HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

AND 

STATE  MUSEUM 

Gladys  F.  Riley,  Editor State  Librarian  and  Historian 

Lola  M.  Honisiier,  Co-Editor Assistant  Historian 


WYOMING  STATE  MUSEUM— 1942 

Housed  in  the  new  Supreme  Court  and  Library  Building  in 
Cheyenne,  with  vault  space  and  fireproof  protection,  the  Mu- 
seum provides  for  the  preservation  and  display  of  the  prized 
possessions  of  Wyoming  pioneers. 

Perpetuate  your  family  name  by  placing  your  historical 
collections  and  relics  in  your  State  Museum,  where  they  may 
be  permanently  preserved  and  enjoyed  by  the  thousands  of 
visitors. 

Everything  that  is  presented  to  the  ]\ruseum  ij  numbered, 
labeled,  recorded  and  card  indexed,  thus  insuring  permanent 
identification. 


Zhe  Winter  of  1886-87  Jn  Wyoming 

By  Alfred  Larson* 

The  winter  of  1886-87  will  never  be  forgotten  in  the  north- 
ern Rocky  Mountain  region.  Charles  M.  Kussell  became  famous 
because  that  winter  suggested  a  water  color  depicitng  an  emaci- 
ated cow,  ''Waiting  for  a  Chinook  and  nothing  else. "^  Many 
writers  have  generalized  about  the  nature  and  consequences  of 
that  winter.  Dan  W.  Greenburg  wrote  that  that  disastrous 
winter  almost  drove  the  Wyoming  Stock  GroAvers'  Association 
on  the  rocks. 2  Louis  Pelzer  observed  that  "The  repeated  hurri- 
cane blizzards,  the  heavy  falls  of  snow,  and  the  blood-chilling 
rains  had  combined  to  kill  off  about  one-third  of  all  the  northern 
range  cattle."^  H.  E.  Briggs  places  the  losses  much  higher: 
"With  many  authenticated  records  of  losses  running  as  high 
as  90  to  95  per  cent  a  conservative  estimate  of  the  average  loss 
for  the  whole  area  would  be  from  75  to  80  per  cent.  ""*  John 
Clay  wrote  that  "From  Southern  Colorado  to  the  Canadian 
line,  from  the  100th  ^Meridian  almost  to  the  Pacific  slope  it 
M^as  a  catastrophe  which  the  cowmen  of  today  who  did  not  go 
through  it  can  never  understand."'^  Struthers  Burt  wrote 
"The  lucky  ones  sustained  losses  of  seventy  and  eighty  per 
cent."^  The  winter  is  described  in  Wyoming  from  Territorial 
Days  to  the  Present  as  "the  cataclysm  of  nature  which  all  but 
overwhelmed  the  western  cattle  industry.'"'  According  to  this 
work  "Many  of  the  ranches  (sic)  in  the  Northwest  .who  went 
through  the  ordeal  placed  their  losses  at  from  80  to  90  per 
cent. '  '^ 

All  accounts  of  the  winter  of  1886-87  agree  that  it  was  a 
terrible  one  and  that  the  losses  were  great.     There  is  disagree- 


*BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Dr.  Alfred  Larson.  Assistnnt  Professor 
of  History  at  the  I'liiversity  of  Wyoming',  was  born  in  Wakefieltl,  Nebraska, 
January  18,  1910,  the  sou  of  Mr.  aud  Mrs.  Fred  Larson.  He  has  studied 
at  the  lUuiversity  of  Colorado,  the  University  of  Illinois  where  he  obtained 
his  Ph.D.  dejjree,  and  at  the  University  of  London,  England,  in  19;>7-oS. 
He  is  a  member  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 

Dr.  Larson  came  to  Laramie,  Wyoniinjj-,  in  Sei)tember,  lO.'Ui.  He  was 
married  to  Aylein  Eckles  Hunt  of  Laramie  on  June  11,  liUl. 

1.  Charles  M.  Russell,  Good  Medicine,  p.  21. 

2.  Sid-ty  Years,  A  Brief  Beriew  of  Wnoiuin;/  CutHe  Poi/s,  p.  82. 

3.  The'^CattJemen's  Frontier,  p.  148. 

4.  Frontiers  of  the  Northwest,  p.  244. 

5.  My  Life  on  the  San(iie,  p.  178. 

6.  Powder  Eiver,  p.  253. 

7.  r.  B.  Beard,  Editor,  p.  401. 

8.  Ibid.,  p.  402. 


6  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

ment,  however,  in  the  appraisal  of  losses,  and  there  has  been  no 
full  description  of  this  "cataclysm  of  nature."  This  study 
was  prompted  by  a  desire  to  know  more  about  this  awful  winter 
and  its  impact  upon  Wyoming. 

A  first  consideration  is  the  weather  itself.  Clay  wrote 
that  the  summer  of  1886  was  very  dry  with  no  rain  of  any 
moment  in  May,  June,  and  July.^  The  records  of  the  U.  S. 
Signal  Office  at  Cheyenne  indicate  that  this  was  true  for  Chey- 
enne. ^°  The  precipitation  during  the  three  growing  months 
was,  for  May,  0.32,  for  June,  1.52,  and  for  July,  0.71  inches. 
The  mean  temperature  was,  for  May,  55.2,  for  June,  59.3,  and 
for  July,  69.2  degrees.  The  summer  of  1886  was  no  doubt 
abnormally  dry  and  warm.  The  total  rainfall  for  the  three 
months  in  1886  was  2.55  inches  as  compared  with  an  average  of 
5.15  inches  for  those  three  months  during  the  twelve  summers 
of  1875-1886.  The  approximate  mean  temperature  for  the  three 
months  in  1886  was  61.2  degi"ees  as  compared  with  a  mean  of 
59.85  degrees  for  those  months  during  the  twelve  summers, 
1875-1886.11  In  the  period  1875-1886  only  the  summer  of  1879 
was  dryer  and  warmer  than  the  summer  of  1886,  but  in  1879 
the  prevailing  winds  for  the  three  months  were  respectively 
S,  W,  and  NW,  whereas  the  prevailing  winds  in  1886  were 
respectively  NW,  S,  and  S.  In  the  early  summer  of  1886  Clay 
rode  many  miles  over  the  range  in  south  central  Wyoming 
and  saw  "scarce  a  blade  of  grass. "^^  The  same  conditions  pre- 
vailed, he  said,  on  the  Belle  Fourche,  Little  Missouri  and 
Powder.  All  writers  on  the  subject  are  agreed  that  there  was 
overgrazing.  Assessment  figures  indicate  that  there  were  three 
times  as  many  cattle  in  Wyoming  in  1886  as  there  were  eight 
years  later.  Moreover,  extensive  prairie  fires  are  mentioned.!^ 
If  such  a  summer  had  been  followed  by  the  best  of  winters, 
cattle  probably  would  have  suffered ;  but  instead  of  the  best 
came  one  of  the  worst  with  snow,  cold,  and  wind. 

Precise  measurements  of  snowfall  for  that  winter  are  un- 
available. The  records  of  the  U.  S.  Signal  Office  at  Cheyenne 
for  November,  December,  January,  and  February  are  not  com- 
plete "on  account  of  sickness  of  observer. "^^  Governor  Moon- 
light in  his  annual  report  refers  to  the  "strength  and  frequency 


9.     My  Life  on  the  Range,  p.  176. 

10.  Report  of  the  Governor  of  Wyoming  to  the  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior, 1886,  pp.  50.51. 

11.  lUd. 

12.  My  Life  on  the  Range,  p.  176. 

13.  F.  B.  Beard,  op.  cit.  p.  401. 

14.  Report  of  the  Governor  of  Wyoming  to  the  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior, p.  60,  footnote. 


THE  WINTER  OF   1886-87  IN  WYOMING  7 

of  the  snow  storms.  "^^  In  southeastern  Wyoming  the  first 
storm  of  any  moment  began  early  on  November  1.^^  In  Chey- 
enne the  snow  of  three  or  four  inches  melted  almost  as  fast  as 
it  fell,  yet  the  Cheyenne  Snn  expressed  the  opinion  that  "this 
may  prove  to  be  the  worst  snow  storm  we  shall  have  this  fall 
and  winter.  "^"^  The  editor  of  the  Laramie  Weekly  Boomerang 
declared  on  the  6th  of  January :  ' '  The  winter  bids  fair  to  one 
(sic)  of  the  most  favorable  ever  bestowed  upon  Wyoming." 
Possibly  Editor  Caldwell  was  whistling  to  keep  up  his  courage 
because  his  further  comments  show  that  some  people  had  been 
worried.  Said  Caldwell:  "The  frightful  spectre  of  devasta- 
tion and  death  whose  fierce  coming  in  the  guise  of  the  storms 
of  November  was  predicted,  has  disappeared  from  even  the 
sight  of  the  most  timid.  The  great  annual  scare  is  over,  and 
the  alarmists  of  1886  are  now  at  liberty  to  perfect  themselves 
as  the  liars  of  1887."  The  storms  came  on  the  very  day  Cald- 
well had  chosen  for  his  prophecy  that  the  worst  of  the  winter 
was  over.  Thereafter  the  Territorial  papers  tell  of  storm  after 
storm  in  all  parts  of  the  Teerritory.  Stock  Inspector  Lambert, 
said  the  Boomerang  on  January  12,  had  just  returned  from  a 
trip  of  inspection  along  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  west  of 
Laramie  and  had  reported  that  the  snow  was  drifting  so  badly 
that  all  efforts  to  find  dead  cattle  were  vain.  Snow  six  feet 
deep  on  the  level  was  reported  between  Mountain  Home  and 
Wood's  Landing.  A  letter  from  Centennial  on  the  16th  said 
the  storm  continued  "with  almost  unabated  fury"  from  the 
6th  to  the  16th.  Douglas  on  the  19th  had  not  seen  a  train  for 
two  weeks.  David  Pinkley  of  the  Northwestern  Stage  line  was 
out  36  hours  between  Sheridan  and  Buffalo.  A  report  from 
the  Big  Horn  Sentinel,  printed  in  the  Daily  Boomerang  on 
January  22,  told  of  snow  four  feet  on  the  level,  "deeper  than 
has  ever  been  known  before  in  this  section."  A  train  finally 
reached  Douglas,  but  on  the  24th  it  "is  reported  to  have  gone 
into  winter  quarters,  as  it  can  neither  get  backwards  nor  for- 
wards." A  report  in  the  Dally  Boomerang  February  10  re- 
lated that  "The  snow  on  Lost  Soldier  division  on  the  Lander 
and  Rawlins  stage  route  is  four  feet  deep,  and  frozen  so  hard 
that  the  stages  drive  over  it  like  a  turnpike."  On  the  12th  of 
February  the  Evanston  Chieftain  was  quoted:  "The  great 
snow  storm  which  has  prevailed  in  this  locality  for  the  past  two 
months  still  stays  with  us  most  every  day.  "^'^     John  Luman-of 


15.  Ibid.,  p.  21. 

16.  The  Laramie  Sentinel  and  the  Chei/enne  Siui. 

17.  The  Cheyenne  Sun^  Nov.  2. 

18.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang. 


8  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

the  No  Wood  country  in  an  interview  on  March  30th  spoke  of 
crusted  snow  which  remained  all  winter. ^^ 

All  writers  on  the  subject  remark  about  the  low  tempera- 
tures. Unhappily  the  illness  of  the  observer  at  Cheyenne  dur- 
ing the  months  of  November,  December,  January,  and  Februpry 
left  the  records  incomplete.  There  are  scattered  comments  in 
the  newspapers,  but  not  enough  to  warrant  a  statement  more 
specific  than  that  it  was  a  cold  winter. 

The  phase  of  the  weather  which  aroused  more  comment 
than  any  other  was  the  wind.  The  Cheyenne  8un,  January  28, 
carried  the  story  that  "The  most  prolonged  windstorm  ever 
known  in  Cheyenne  is  now  in  progress.  It  began  two  moiiths 
ago  and  has  continued  ever  since  from  sunrise  to  sunset  of 
each  day. ' '  The  Sun  estimated  that  ' '  a  good  fair  average  of 
forty  miles  an  hour  has  been  kept  up."'  This  is  no  doubt  an 
exaggeration,  but  at  least  it  conveys  the  idea  that  the  wind  was 
unusually  severe.  The  Boomerang  for  the  same  day  observed 
that  for  two  weeks  there  had  been  a  "ceaseless  wind  storm 
raging  along  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific  from  Nebraska 
throughout  the  Wyoming  division. ' '  Editor  Caldwell,  who 
often  wrote  humorously,  related  this  story :  ' '  On  one  of  our 
sidewalks,  wedged  in  against  a  telephone  pole,  is  a  huge  beef 
rib.  It  is  marked  deeply  with  the  imprint  of  a  dog's  tooth, 
and  it  is  popularly  supposed  that  the  dog  has  blown  away." 
A  report  from  the  Little  Laramie  told  that  fences  were  leveled 
to  the  ground  and  outhouses  and  haystacks  were  "scattered  to 
the  four  winds.  "^°  The  Boomerang  referred  to  the  wind  as 
a  "visiting  Cheyenne  zephyr"  and  the  Cheyenne  Democratic 
Leader  called  it  a  "Laramie  City  Zephyr."  AVyoming  did  not 
suffer  alone ;  it  appears  from  reports  that  several  trains  were 
blown  off  the  tracks  at  points  in  Colorado  by  a  sixty-mile  gale.^^ 

Accounts  of  the  ravages  of  the  winter  of  1886-87  have  gen- 
erally passed  over  the  human  suffering,  but  it  was  serious. 
Ranch  employees  were  found  frozen  to  death  near  Sundance, 
Evanston,  and  Stinking  Water. ^^  Two  men  received  severe 
injuries  when  the  high  wind  hurled  them  from  a  hand  car  a 
half  mile  from  Horse  Creek  station  on  the  Cheyenne  and 
Northern.  A  Sheep  Mountain  stockman  and  his  wife  nearly 
perished  between  Laramie  and  their  home.  A  woman  driving 
from  Laramie  to  North  Park  was  "providentially  rescued  in 
the  very  nick  of  time."-^     A  tramp  was  pulled  out  of  a  drift 


19.  Ibid. 

20.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang,  March  3,  1887. 

21.  Ibid.,  February  18. 

22.  Ihid.,  January  12,  January  22,  February  21. 
2.3.  Ibid.,  Jan.  15. 


THE  WINTER  OF  1886-87   IN   WYOMING  9 

and  revived  with  whisky  at  Rock  Creek.  The  Albany  county 
board  of  commissioners  sent  provisions  to  a  family  snowbound 
and  destitute  at  their  home  18  miles  from  Laramie.^'*  The 
Cheyenne  Sun  reported  that  according^  to  doctors  the  wind  was 
causing  nervousness  and  sleeplessness.^^ 

A  number  of  newspaper  items  tell  of  transportation  diffi- 
culties. A  stage  into  Buffalo  from  the  north  had  to  be  piloted 
by  a  horseman  and  was  48  hours  late.  When  the  first  train  in 
fifteen  days  reached  Douglas  it  was  said  that  "The  railroad 
company  should  either  build  snow  fences  or  put  on  a  line  of 
lightning  express  bull  teams.  "-^  A  passenger  train  on  the 
Oregon  Short  Line  struck  a  snow^  bank  near  Ham's  Fork  and 
both  engines  and  one  or  two  cars  went  down  a  high  embank- 
ment. The  fireman  was  reported  killed.-^  A  few  days  later 
Editor  Caldwell  wrote:  "The  Oregon  Short  Line  is  still 
snowed  in.  It  is  said  that  a  strong  searching  party  is  out,  and 
when  the  line  is  again  found  that  it  will  be  at  once  placed  on 
snow  shoes. 

Li  examining  the  newspapers  for  evidence  of  stock  losses 
one  is  struck  by  the  persistent  reluctance  of  stockmen  and  edi- 
tors to  believe  that  overstocking  of  the  range,  the  scarcity  of 
feed,  and  the  severe  winter  had  finally  brought  disaster  for 
the  hazardous  open-range  system.  The  optimism  of  the  Boom- 
erang editor  has  been  mentioned.  He  welcomed  the  new  year 
with  the  pronouncement  that  Wyoming's  "valuable  stock  and 
ranch  interests  are  ever  on  the  increase."  A  week  later  he  an- 
nounced that  "The  cattle  being  fed  in  the  Laramie  valleys  are 
doing  splendidly.  The  beef  market  is  rising  and  in  the  spring- 
no  finer  beeves  will  put  money  in  their  owners'  pockets,  and 
furnish  fat  haunches  to  smoke  on  eastern  boards,  than  those  of 
this  section  of  Wyoming.  "^^  John  Durbin,  interviewed  early  in 
February,  was  credited  with  saying  that  on  the  Avhole  the  out- 
look was  favorable. ^°  He  said  that  the  cattle  were  doing  well 
in  the  valleys  of  the  Sweetwater  and  its  tributaries,  but  that 
lack  of  feed  was  causing  considerable  loss  in  tlie  sand  liills. 
Fierce  winds,  he  said,  drove  the  cattle  into  the  sand  hills  for 
shelter  and  there  they  starved  unless  the>-  were  driven  back 
to  the  flats  and  valleys.  The  Durbin  outfit  had  made  four 
drives  of  this  kind,  moving  about  1,500  head  of  cattle  each  time. 
The  cattle  also  crowded  together  in  the  forks  of  tlie  Sweetwater 
and  the  North  Platte  and  had  to  be  driven  from  there.     A  Big 


24. 

Ihid.,  Jan.  20. 

25. 

Cheyenne  Sun,  ,Ian.  28.- 

26. 

Laramie  Doihi  Boonier(in(/,  Jan. 

24,  1887 

27. 

Ibid.,  Jan.  3l". 

28. 

Ibid.,  Jan.  10. 

29. 

Ibid.,  Feb.  9. 

10  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Horn  Basin  cowboy  on  his  way  to  his  boyhood  home  in  Missouri 
was  interviewed  in  Laramie  February  15.  He  spoke  of  heavy 
snow  and  much  cold  weather  in  the  Big  Horn  country,  but  he 
maintained  that  the  winter's  loss  would  not  exceed  five  per 
cent.^° 

The  losses  in  Montana  were  unquestionably  greater  than 
the  losses  in  Wyoming.  Reports  from  Montana  in  February 
gave  the  whole  nation  something  to  talk  about.  A  dispatch 
from  Butte  to  the  Denver  RepnWican  declared  that  a  loss  of 
600,000  cattle,  or  one-half,  was  a  low  estimate.^^  The  dispatch 
told  of  cattle  seeking  water  in  the  air  holes  of  the  Yellowstone 
River,  and  "As  soon  as  those  in  front  begin  drinking  the 
others  crowd  them  forward  into  the  holes."  The  same  thing 
was  happening  on  the  Wind  River  in  Wyoming. ^^  ^n  of  the 
small  creeks  and  springs  of  the  ranges  were  frozen.  ' '  The  cattle, 
in  their  search  for  water,  walk  out  upon  the  river  ice  to  the 
air-holes,  and  in  the  attempt  to  drink  break  through,  and  are 
swept  at  once  from  sight  and  life    .    .    . " 

A  prominent  Montana  cattleman  interviewed  in  Denver 
towards  the  end  of  February  expressed  the  opinion  that  losses 
reported  in  eastern  papers  were  greatly  exaggerated.  "All 
danger  to  range  cattle  is  now  over,  and  cattlemen  are  looking 
forward  to  a  j^ear  of  prosperity.  "^^  Editor  Hayford  of  the 
Laramie  Sentinel  late  in  February  opined  that  cattle  had  win- 
tered as  well  as  usual  except  in  Montana  and  northern  Wyo- 
ming. The  Cheyenne  Democratic  Leader  on  March  1  believed 
it  probable  that  the  worst  Montana  reports  were  exaggerated 
and  that  at  least  three-fourths  of  the  stock  would  survive.  The 
Boomerang  March  2  quoted  the  Miles  City  Journal  as  saying 
that  while  cattlemen  estimated  losses  variously  from  20  to  50 
per  cent  they  could  hardly  be  "of  such  magnitude."  The  new 
editor  of  the  Boomerang,  Alexander,  on  the  2nd  of  March  de- 
clared that  eastern  newspapers  in  writing  about  the  great 
losses  in  Montana  should  not  confuse  Wyoming  with  Montana. 
The  winter  in  Wyoming,  he  admitted,  had  been  severe  but 
"the  percentage  of  loss  will  not  figure  a  trifle  if  any  more 
than  in  some  years  past,  when  no  particular  mention  was  made 
of  the  fact."  "Any  deficiency  in  profit  will  be  made  up  in 
two  years,"  he  said.  "Range  cattle,"  he  added,  "have  been 
shipped  to  eastern  markets  in  such  good  condition  in  the  last 
three  years  that  easterners  have  become  jealous."  Editor  Hay- 
ford  on  March  5  clipped  from  Bill  Burlow's  Budget  (Douglas) 


30.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang,  Feb.  15,  1887. 

31.  lUd.,  Feb.  22. 

32.  Ibid.,  Feb.  14. 

33.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang,  Feb.  24,  1887. 


THE  WINTEE  OF   1886-87  IN   WYOMING  11 

the  opinion  that  while  losses  in  Wyoming  would  be  as  low,  if 
not  lower,  than  in  Idaho,  Montana,  and  Utah,  "yet  it  is  a  fact 
that  the  per  cent  will  be  a  fearfully  and  wonderfully  lar^e  one 
— a  loss  calculated  to  make  cattle  kings  look  blue. ' ' 

In  the  early  part  of  March  unfavorable  reports  began  to 
come  in  from  many  places.  The  Denver  Eepiihlican  confronted 
with  contradictory  reports  about  the  Montana  losses  sent  a  spe- 
cial correspondent  to  the  scene.  The  Boomerang  summarized 
the  special  correspondent's  first  report:  "We  are  sorry  to  say 
it  would  seem  the  worst  had  not  been  told  .  .  .,  all  stock  has 
gone  off  at  an  alarming  rate.  "^^  Exchanges  in  the  Laramie 
papers  from  the  Buffalo  Eclio  and  the  Rawlins  Journal  told  of 
considerable  losses.  A  reader  of  the  Laramie  Boomerang  took 
exception  to  the  paper's  optimism  as  it  applied  to  the  region 
around  the  city.    The  letter  is  revealing: 

"I  have  seen  quite  a  number  of  articles  in  your  paper  that  would 
lead  strangers  to  suppose  that  the  Laramie  plains  was  the  catties' 
Eden.  I  say  strangers,  because  anyone  that  is  a  resident  of  Laramie 
and  has  been  out  of  town  this  winter  in  any  direction,  can  see  for 
themselves  that  the  plains  are  strewed  with  dead  cattle  that  have  per- 
ished for  the  want  of  food  and  water. 

"From  the  junction  of  the  road  between  the  Big  and  Little  Lar- 
aniies  to  the  top  of  the  Divide  on  the  road  to  the  McCreary  ranch,  with- 
in a  short  distance  from  the  road  are  live  head  of  dead  cattle.  At  the 
junction  of  the  Willow  and  Spague  fences  are  eight  more.  North  of 
there  near  a  small  lake,  are  twelve  head.  I  think  I  do  not  over-estimate 
the  amount  when  I  say  that  there  are  fifty  head  of  dead  cattle  on  or  near 
Seven  Mile  and  about  the  same  on  Four  Mile.  I  mention  these  few 
points  so  that  if  any  one  doubts  my  statement  he  may  be  easily  con- 
vinced by  traveling  in  that  direction. 

"The  facts  of  the  case  are  these:  The  cattle  north  of  here  (and 
they  are  not  much  better  off  south)  are  just  about  as  near  starved  to 
death  as  they  can  be  and  live. 

"Any  man  that  could  go  out  on  the  plains  in  some  of  our  numerous 
storms  and  see  those  poor  brutes  '  humped  up '  in  some  angle  of  a  wire 
fence,  without  any  protection  from  the  storm,  without  being  moved  to 
compassion,  must  be  a  wretch,  indeed. 

"The  stories  that  are  published  hy  the  Wyoming  press  will  mis- 
lead eastern  people,  and  perhaps  may  cause  many  to  drive  or  ship 
cattle  to  this  section,  when  the  truth  is  the  country  is  already  over- 
stocked. I  cannot  see  who  would  reap  any  advantage  from  misrepre- 
senting the  stock  interest  in  this  country,  unless  it  would  be  a  few 
sharpers  that  would  like  to  'sell  out'  by  book  account,  and  I  think  that 
that  is  about  played  out.  What  a  pity  that  our  city  'paps'  did  not 
have  the  power  not  only  to  impound  cattle  found  on  the  streets  of 
Laramie,  but  also  of  those  found  on  the  plains.  The  practice  of  leaving 
cattle  unprovided  for  and  unjirotected  during  our  severe  winters  is 
both   cruel  and  inhuman." 

Editor  Slack  remarked  that  the  news  coming  in  from  the 
northern  ranges  was  not  favorable.^'*''     Overstocking  and  scarcity 


34.  Laramie  Daily  Boomcraiuh  March  5,  1S87. 

35.  The  Cheyenne  Sun,  Marcli  8,  1887. 


12  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

of  feed  were  to  blame,  said  he.  The  losses  of  individuals  would 
discourage  the  bringing  in  of  outside  cattle  and  would  give 
stock  growers  a  chance  to  recover.  Whereas  Laramie  editors 
were  evidentlv  reluctant  to  publish  unfavorable  reports,  Slack 
expressed  the  opinion  that  publication  of  losses  would  be  bene- 
ficial since  it  would  give  the  grass  a  chance. 

The  opinion  that  reports  of  losses  were  gTcatly  exaggerated 
died  hard  in  southeastern  Wyoming.  Two  Laramie  men,  Grant 
and  Boswell,  interviewed  in  mid-March,  told  of  riding  100 
miles  through  the  range  country  of  Dakota  Territory  on  the 
back  of  a  train  for  the  purpose  of  counting  dead  cattle. ^"^  Thej' 
counted  only  seven  carcasses.  The  Boomerang  editor  com- 
mented that  "A  desperate  effort  is  being  made  by  a  certain 
class  of  people  to  exaggerate  the  losses  of  last  winter.  Nothing 
can  be  gained  by  this  course,  and  it  is  foolish  to  pursue  it  any 
longer. ' '  Towards  the  end  of  March  men  who  were  intervieAved 
declared  that  cattle  were  doing  well  in  the  North  Platte  Valley 
and  in  the  Laramie  Peak  and  Antelope  Basin  country. ^^  The 
annual  meeting  of  the  AVyoming  Stock  Growers'  Association 
was  at  Cheyenne  April  4.  It  was  not  very  well  attended,  but 
those  who  were  there  evidently  did  not  realize  their  predica- 
ment. Thos.  B.  Adams,  the  Assistant  Secretary,  reported : 
"Already  modifications  of  the  exaggerated  reports  of  the  win- 
ter's losses  with  which  the  papers  of  the  East  as  well  as  those 
of  the  Territory  have  been  overflowing  have  begun  to  appear.  "^^ 
The  editor  of  the  Boomerang  on  April  5  was  ready  to  admit 
that  those  having  large  herds  of  cattle  had  lost  "a  big  per- 
centage of  their  stock,"  but  he  believed  they  were  in  a  condi- 
tion to  stand  the  loss,  and  "this  misfortune  does  not  hurt  the 
town  in  the  least. ' ' 

Cattlemen  could  only  guess  at  their  losses  until  the  round- 
ups of  June  and  July.  The  losses  varied  considerably  over  the 
territory  and  from  herd  to  herd.  The  Big  Horn  Sentinel  re- 
ported that  the  calf  crop  as  far  as  the  round-ups  had  progressed 
was  very  light,  but  reports  from  the  Belle  Fourche  outfits  indi- 
cated that  they  "are  finding  more  cattle  than  they  can 
handle.  "^^  The  Big  Horn  paper  explained  that  the  winter  did 
not  do  great  damage  to  steers,  but  "has  proven  a  fatal  mor- 
tality among  she  cattle."  Branding  of  calves  would  fall  short 
by  fifty  per  cent  in  the  Big  Horn  region.  F.  E.  Warren  wroie 
July  iO,  1887:  "From  all  I  hear,  fully  one-half  the  cattle 
in  Powder  River  country  as  well  as  from  Platte  over,  perished 


y>6.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang,  March  16,  1887. 

37.  Laramie  BaUy  Boomerang,  Mareli  22,  24,  1887. 

.38.  John  day,  My  Life  on  the  Range,  p.  253. 

39.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang,  June  23,  1887. 


THE  WINTER  OF  1886-87  IN   WYOMING  13 

the  last  Winter.  "^0  Judge  Blair  traveled  through  central  and 
northwestern  Wyoming  early  in  July  and  reported  that  no  one 
he  talked  to  placed  the  loss  of  cattle  at  less  than  fifty  per  cent. 
The  highest  estimate  on  the  calf  crop  "as  compared  with  the 
number  of  calves  branded  last  year,  was  twenty  per  cent."^^ 
This  corresponds  with  information  gleaned  by  Charles  Lindsay 
from  various  sources  and  published  in  his  volume,  The  Big  Horn 
Basin.  The  losses,  wrote  Lindsay,  "throughout  the  Basin  were 
uniformly  large.  Cattlemen  who  the  spring  before  had  branded 
thousands  of  calves,  branded  only  hundreds  in  the  spring  of 
1887. "■^^  The  Wind  River  Mountaineer  maintained,  however, 
that  the  loss  on  the  Lander  ranges,  south  of  the  Basin,  was 
under  rather  than  over  ten  per  cent.^^  The  losses  around  Sara- 
toga were  placed  at  66  per  cent,"*^  while  not  far  away  the  North 
Park  roundup  showed  a  calf  crop  above  the  average.*^  The 
Buffalo  EcJio  carried  the  story  that  the  101  outfit  in  Crook 
county  lost  11,090  cattle  out  of  a  herd  of  12,000  and  were  able 
to  report  to  the  assessor  only  8,000  out  of  a  total  of  30,000.^'^ 

Analysis  of  reports  shows  that  cows  and  calves  suffered  far 
more  than  steers,  and  that  'through'  stock,  that  is  stock  that 
had  just  been  brought  in,  did  not  cling  to  life  with  the  tenacity 
of  cattle  accustomed  to  the  northern  range.  Scarcity  of  feed, 
deep,  crusted  snow,  the  biting  winds,"*'^  and  scarcity  of  water 
all  contributed  to  the  stock  mortality.  Said  Governor  ^Moon- 
light  in  his  1887  Report:  "I  am  convinced  from  conversations 
with  practical  cattle  men,  and  what  I  have  seen,  that  the  losses 
from  a  want  of  a  sufficiency  of  water  are  greater  than  from  a 
lack  of  a  sufficiency  of  food.  "^^  Governor  Warren  in  his  1885 
Report  had  remarked  on  the  diifieulty  of  securing  open  water 
in  winter,  a  difficulty  which  would,  of  course,  be  magnified  in  a 
winter  like  that  of  1886-87.     Warren  wrote  in  1885  that  "prob- 


40.  P.  E.  Warren  Trust  Book,  p.  9.  This  is  a  letter  book  in  which 
Warren  kept  a  record  of  his  correspondence  as  W^yoinint;-  manager 
of  the  American  Cattle  Trust  in  1SS7.  Tliis  document  is  in  tlie 
University  of  Wyoming  Library. 

41.  Laramie  Daihi  Boomerana,  Jidv  11,  1887. 

42.  p.  132. 

43.  Exchange  in  the  Laramie  Wecklii  Booiucrdiui.  .hily  2S,  18S7. 
Caldwell,  who  was  editor  of  the  Boomercnui  earlier  iu  the  year, 
was  now  editor  of  the  IVind  Fiicr  MiUintainerr. 

44.  Laramie  H'eekli/  BooDicrcnifi,  July  21,  1SS7. 

45.  Ibid.,  July  14,  1887. 

46.  Exchange  in  Laramie  Soitiiicl.  Aug.  6,  1887. 

47.  A  number  of  newspaper  rejiorts  during  the  winter  of  1886-87 
mention  tlie  well  known  fact  that  the  winds  served  to  clear  the 
range  of  snow.  Despite  the  high  A\inds,  however,  the  feed  was 
sealed  in  many  places  beneath  the  deeji.  crusted  snow. 

48.  Report  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  p.  22. 


14  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

ablv  four  times  as  maiiv  cattle  die  for  want  of  water  as  for 
M^ant  of  food.  "49 

W^riters  have  estimated  the  1886-87  cattle  losses  on  the 
northern  ranges  all  the  way  from  33  per  cent  to  90  per  cent. 
These  losses  must  be  cut  down  for  Wyoming  since  the  losses 
in  Montana  and  Dakota  were  generally  greater  than  the  losses 
in  Wyoming.  No  one  of  the  writers  who  have  ventured  esti- 
mates of  stock  losses  seems  to  have  referred  to  the  assessment 
figures.  Why,  one  might  ask,  is  it  not  possible  to  get  a  general 
picture  of  the  losses  by  subtracting  the  total  territorial  assess- 
ment figures  of  1887  from  those  of  1886  ?  The  assessment  fig- 
ures were  published  in  August  and  must  have  been  based  on 
June  and  July  roundup  figures.  A  normal  calf  crop  could  be 
computed,  and  allowance  would  have  to  be  made  for  the  excess 
of  cattle  shipped  out  in  the  fall  of  1886  over  those  brought  in 
early  in  the  summer  of  1887.^°  The  assessment  figures,  un- 
fortunately, do  not  appear  to  be  reliable.  One  cannot  determine 
accurately  how  many  cattle  there  were  in  Wyoming  Territory 
in  1886  or  in  1887.  The  suspicion  that  assessment  figures  are 
unreliable  is  aroused  when  one  compares  Governor  AVarren's 
statement  made  in  1885  that  "Probably  over  2,000,000  head  of 
cattle  are  contained  within  the  borders  of  Wyoming "^^  with  the 
assessment  figures  which  show  only  894,788  cattle  for  that  year.-^- 
Governor  Warren,  who  had  lived  in  the  Territory  for  many  ^^ears 
and  was  a  stockman  in  his  own  right,  no  doubt  knew  as  well  as 
any  man  could  know,  how  many  cattle  there  were  in  the  Terri- 
tory ;  yet  he  could  do  no  more  than  select  a  round  number.  As 
Governor,  proud  of  his  Territory,  and  anxious  to  gain  recogni- 
tion and  statehood  for  Wyoming,  Warren  would  probably  give  as 
high  a  figure  as  be  could  reconcile  with  his  knowledge.  It  appears 
that  if  there  were  2,000,000  cattle  in  the  Territory  in  1885,  more 
than  88,231  would  have  been  shipped  to  market  in  that  year.^^ 
While  2,000,000  may  be  a  little  high,  the  assessment  figure  is 
certainly  too  low.'^'^    C.  D.  Spalding,  prominent  Laramie  banker, 


■49.     Ibid.,  1885,  p.  69. 

50.  There  is  scattered  evidence  in  the  Governors '  reports  and  the  news- 
papers warranting  a  guess  that  shipments  out  of  the  Territory  in 
the  fall  of  1886  exceeded  by  at  least  50,000  cattle  the  additions 
to  the  herds  by  trail  and  rail  in  the  early  summer  of  1887.  Beport 
of  the  Governor,  1886,  pp.  18-19;  ibid.,  1887,  pp.  21-22,  55;  Lara- 
mie Daily  Boomerang,  June  18,  1887,  Sept.  1,  1887.  Generally 
si>eaking,  cattlemen  in  1887  were  liquidating  rather  than  re- 
stocking. 

51.  Beport  of  the  Governor,  1885,  i).  65. 

52.  Ibid.,  1886,  p.  41. 

53.  Ibid.,  pp.  18-19. 

54.  The  Census  figures  for  1880  offer  one  check  on  Territorial  assess- 
ors. The  Tenth  Census  of  the  U.  S.,  Vol.  3,  p.  176,  gives  273,625 
cattle  for  Wyoming  Territory.  The  assessors  that  year  gave  a 
total  of  267,497.    Bei)ort  of  the  Governor  of  Wyoming,  1886,  p.  41. 


THE  WINTEE  OF  1886-87   IN   WYOMING  15 

w-10  has  been  in  Wyoming  since  1876,  believes  that  Governor 
Warren's  figure  is  a  good  guess  and  accounts  for  the  low  assess- 
ment figures  by  stating  that  cattlemen  with  political  influence 
were  able  to  secure  low  assessment  figures  in  1886  and  1887.^^ 
Spalding  believes  further  that  the  percentage  of  decline  in 
assessment  totals  would  not  be  far  from  the  percentage  of 
actual  loss. 

The  assessment  figures  are  as  follows:  1884,  749,569;  1885, 
894,788;  1886,  889,121;  1887,  753,648;  1888,  724,737.56  it  ap- 
pears from  these  figures  that  the  assessors  cut  their  total  only 
15%  in  1887.  It  seems  that  cattlemen  who  lost  heavily  would 
turn  in  figures  correspondingly  lower.  A  man  who  lost  80% 
of  his  cattle  would  certainly  try  to  get  the  assessor  to  cut  the 
number  on  his  roll  by  80%.  Although  accuracy  is  impossible, 
one  is  prompted  to  venture  the  opinion  that  estimates  placing 
the  Wyoming  losses  at  80  and  90  per  cent  are  fantastic.  Some 
herds  suffered  losses  of  80  and  90  per  cent ;  but  the  loss  for 
the  whole  of  Wyoming  Territory  would  seem  to  lie  somewhere 
]iot  far  above  15%.  A  more  specific  approximation  seems  un- 
warranted by  the  evidence. 

The  assessors'  figures  give  some  idea  of  the  distribution 
of  losses  over  the  Territory.  There  were  eight  counties  in  1886, 
with  two  more  created  in  1887.°'^  The  assessor  of  Crook  county 
cat  his  cattle  enumeration  in  1887,  45%,  from  155.518  to  85.- 
136;  Carbon  county,  23%  ;  Albany  county,  16%  ;  Johnson  coun- 
ty, 10%  ;  and  Laramie  county,  5%.  The  Fremont  county  as- 
sessor increased  his  enumeration  in  1887  one-half  of  one  per 
cent.  There  weren't  many  cattle  in  Sweetwater  and  Uinta 
counties  in  either  year.  The  assessor  of  SweetAvater  county 
reported  a  5%^  increase  for  1887,  while  the  ITinta  assessor  re- 
ported a  40%  increase,  from  15,154  to  21,443.''^ 

The  decline  in  numbers,  of  course,  does  not  tell  the  whole 
story  of  loss.  Many  animals  that  survived  were  set  back  sev- 
eral months.  This  probably  contributed  to  the  decision  of  the 
assessors  to  reduce  the  valuation  of  Wvoming  cattle  from  $14.- 
651,125  in  1886  to  $10,186,362.75  in  1887,  a  reduction  of  30% 
in  value  as  compared  with  a  reduction  of  only  15%  in  num- 
bers.^^  John  Clay  suggested  an  incidental  loss  for  the  cattle- 
men: "For  want  of  detectives,  and  the  inability  of  owners, 
principally   through    want   of   funds,    to    protect    their    interest 


55.  Personal  interview,  19-il. 

56.  Beport  of  the  Governor  of  U'liomiii;/.  lSS(i.  \\  41;   ibid..  1S87.  pp. 
8-10;  ibid.,  1889,  pp.  (i57-(i.')9. 

57.  Sheridan  and  Converse  counties  were  ereated,  Imt  they  were  not 
assessed  separately  until  1888. 

58.  Report  of  the  Go\'eriior  of  IViiomin!)  to  the  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior, 1889,  pp.  657-659. 

59.  Hid.,  1886,  p.  41;     1889,  pp.  657-659. 


16  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

on  the  range,  the  rustlers  had  been  exceedingly  busy  and  picked 
up  a  large  portion  of  the  unbranded  cattle.  "^° 

Very  little  attention  has  been  given  to  the  sheep  losses  in 
the  winter  of  1886-87.  Wyoming  Territory  was  a  "cattleman's 
commonwealth"  and  there  were  relatively  few  sheep,  but  not 
so  few  that  they  can  be  ignored.  The  press  had  little  enough 
to  say  about  sheep.  A  report  from  Rawlins,  March  7,  1887, 
told  that  many  cattle  were  dying  but  that  sheep  were  suffering 
little. ^^  On  the  other  hand,  a  special  dispatch  to  the  Denver 
RepuMican  from  Butte,  Montana,  February  21,  told  of  heavy 
losses  among  sheep  as  well  as  cattle. ^^  The  Denver  Repuhlican 
special  correspondent  who  went  to  investigate  Montana  stories 
reported  that  sheep  suffered  even  worse  than  cattle. ^^  Charlie 
Worland,  the  earliest  sheepman  in  the  Big  Horn  Basin,  lost 
most  of  his  flock. ^■^  There  were  few  sheep  in  Crook  county 
where  the  heaviest  cattle  losses  occurred.  The  assessors  listed 
421,688  sheep  for  the  Territory  in  1887  in  comparison  with 
ovlj  368,997  for  the  year  before.^^  Without  figures  for  the 
number  of  sheep  trailed  in  in  1887  a  generalization  about  winter 
losses  is  impossible. 

There  is  no  evidence  suggesting  that  horses  suffered  much 
in  1886-87.  Horses  could  paw  through  the  snow  for  feed  and 
could  move  from  water  to  fresh  range  and  back  with  relative 
ease. 

A  summary  statement  must  recognize  that  the  winter 
of  1886-87  had  a  terrific  impact  upon  Wyoming.  Losses  were 
magnified  by  the  fact  that  those  who  lost  were  often  hard 
pressed  by  creditors  and  had  to  liquidate  as  best  they  could  in 
a  market  ruinously  low.  Between  60,000  and  70,000  head  of 
stock  were  shipped  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1887. *5^ 
Western  rangers  (Texas  cattle  were  lower)  sold  on  the  Chicago 
market  for  $2.75-$3.45  per  cwt.  on  September  6,  1887 ;  for  $2.35- 
$3.50  on  September  30;  for  $2.00-$3.00  on  October  4;  for  $2.00- 
$3.70  on  October  25;  and  for  $2.40-$3.50  on  November  8.6-!" 
F.  E.  Warren  wrote  to  Thos.  Sturgis  in  New  York,  July  22, 
1887 :  "1  trust  that  matters  may  shape  themselves  in  such  a 
way  with  you  in  New  York  that  much  financial  relief  can  be 


60.  My  Life  on  the  Range,  p.  256. 

61.  Laramie  Daily  Boomerang. 

62.  Ihid.,  Feb.  22,  1887. 

63.  Ibid.,  March  5,  1887. 

64.  Lindsay,  The  Big  Horn  Basin,  p.  137. 

6.5.  Beport  of  the  Governor  of  Wyoming,  1889,  pp.  657-659.  G-overnor 
Warren  estimated  that  there  were  1,000,000  head  in  1885  when 
the  assessors'  figures  showed  323,929.     Ihid.,  1885,  p.  70. 

66.  E.  S.  Osgood,  The  Day  of  the  Cattleman,  p.  222.  Figures  taken 
from  Cheyenne  Daily  Sun,  Nov.  1,  1887. 

67.  Quotations  taken  from  Laramie  Weekly  Boomerang,  passim. 


THE  WINTER  OF  1886-87   IN   WYOMING  17 

afforded  us  here  for  it  grows  more  and  more  evident  that  the 
times  will  try  men's  souls.  I  should  like  to  see  some  money 
'in  sight'  for  my  o^Yn  and  my  Cos.  use  and  I  know  how  much 
more  needy  many  others  will  be.  "^^  Some  of  the  large  com- 
panies went  into  receivership.  Individual  cattlemen  were  hope- 
lessly in  debt.''^  The  Wyoming  Stock  Growers'  Association 
which  had  a. membership  of  400  in  1885  had  only  183  members 
by  1888,'^°  and  the  Cheyenne  Club  lost  much  of  its  glamour. 

No  one  would  say  that  all  of  the  changes  in  the  Wyoming 
cattle  industry  in  1887  and  thereafter  are  traceable  to  the 
hard  winter.  A  day  of  reckoning  was  bound  to  come.  The 
devastating  winter  abruptly  curbed  over-expansion  and  prob- 
ably hastened  the  transition  from  open-range  practice  to  a 
system  providing  shelter,  water,  and  hay  for  emergency  feed- 
ing. The  shift  in  favor  of  sheep  was  probably  facilitated  by 
the  great  damage  to  the  cattle  interests.  Some  cattle  operators 
were  already  turning  to  sheep  before  the  hard  winter,  and 
more  of  them  did  so  thereafter.  One  trend  since  1887  has 
been  in  the  direction  of  smaller  herds.  The  large  companies 
operating  on  government  land  were  under  fire  before  the  winter 
of  1886-87.  They  gave  way  more  rapidly  after  that  winter. 
In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1887,  however,  there  was  much  dis- 
cussion about  the  American  Cattle  Trust,  with  headquarters 
in  New  York  and  with  F.  E.  AVarren  as  Wyoming  manager. 
The  Trust,  which  embraced  many  herds  and  properties  before  it 
dissolved,  was  designed  to  combine  various  ranges  which  would 
not  all  suffer  alike  in  a  severe  winter,  to  provide  economies  in 
range  handling,  to  make  possible  large-scale  corn  feeding  at 
points  in  Nebraska,  and  to  secure  more  favorable  consideration 
from  the  slaughtering  interests.'^^  Bill  Barlow's  Budget  in 
October,  1887,  declared  that  the  Ogallala  Land  and  Cattle  Com- 
pany "is  likely  to  absorb  no  less  than  a  dozen  of  the  smaller 
brands  now  located  in  the  country  north  of  Douglas."'"-  There 
was  still  a  place  for  large-scale  cattle  operations  in  Wyoming, 
but  large  and  small  operators  alike  had  to  employ  more  scien- 
tific methods,  and  had  to  give  up  hopes  of  huge  profits.  The 
winter  of  1886-87  brought  Wvoming  stockmen  back  to  earth. 


68.  F.  E.  Wan-en  Trust  Book,  ]..  24. 

69.  One  man  Avrote  a  letter  to  the  Laramie  Soifiitil :  "  ^loney  loauers 
of  tills  city  who  advertise  so  lono'  and  so  loiully  have  no  money  to 
loan  on  ranch  or  'anything'  as  they  represent.  WHieu  men  stick 
themselves  np  as  'money  loaners'  they  ought  to  have  some  and 
help  the  ranch  interests  of  this  country  and  not  say  '  only  on  city 
real  estate'."  June  -i,  1887. 

70.  Clav,  Mi/  Life  on  ihc  Eantic,  pp.  2.il,  2.5-1. 

71.  F.  "E.  Warren  Trust  Book,  pp.  .'17-58. 

72.  Exchange  in  Laramie  Wccldy  Boomcraiuj,  Oct.  27,  1887. 


ACTIVITIES  AND  PLANS 
FIFTH  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT  COMMITTEE 

WYOMING  STATE   HISTORICAL   ADVISORY  BOARD 

By  Helen  Custer  Bishop" 

On  a  trip  through  the  Big  Horn  Basin  last  summer,  Mrs. 
Gladys'  F.  Riley,  our  State  Librarian  and  Historian,  met  with 
several  members  of  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board  of 
the  Fifth  Judicial  District  ;^  and  after  commending  them  on 
their  good  work  and  splendid  cooperation  with  the  State  His- 
torical Department  since  their  appointment  in  1937,  plans  were 
made  to  publish  in  the  January  issue  of  the  ANNALS  OF 
WYOMING  articles  dealing  with  the  fascinating  history  of 
the  Big  Horn  Basin.  At  a  meeting  held  later  the  members 
decided  on  the  following  persons  who  would  contribute  articles : 
Marj'  Jester  Allen,  Effie  Shaw,  Jack  Haynes,  and  Eliza  Lythgoe. 
As  chairman,  my  contribution  was  to  outline  our  plans  and  tell 
of  our  activities. 

We  have  a  most  interesting  group  of  people  and  have  had 
many  most  enjoyable  meetings,  besides  several  luncheons.  I  feel 
that  one  reason  whj^  we  have  functioned  so  splendidly  is  be- 
cause we  all  have  hobbies.  Mary  Jester  Allen's  is  the  Buffalo 
Bill  Museum  and  her  collection  of  Colonel  Cody's  personal 
effects.  Effie  Shaw  is  vitally  interested  in  Indian  Lore — the 
Medicine  Wheel  and  Tepee  Eings.^  Eliza  Lythgoe  spends  much 
of  her  time  writing  articles  of  great  interest  from  the  diaries 
of  her  father,  Volney  King,  and  the  Mormon  Pioneers  into  the 
Big  Horn  Basin,  as  well  as  from  writings  of  early  settlers  left 


•••BIG GRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Helen  Custer  Bishop,  daughter  of 
Julia  McCuiie  and  John  Snyder  Custer,  was  born  in  Altoona,  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  November,  1904,  she  was  married  to  Thomas  Kennedy  Bishop  in 
Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania;  in  Sej^tember,  1910,  the  Bishops  came  to 
Wyoming,  settling  at  Basin  where  they  have  maintained  continuous 
residence    since    that    date. 

Mrs.  Bishop,  who  is  the  Basin  reportsr  f  r  the  Northern  Wyoming 
Neivs,  has  been  active  for  a  number  of  yeaa-s  in  political,  church,  and 
library  circles.  She  is  at  present  the  treasurer  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  Sunday  School. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bishop  have  two  children:  Mrs.  Marine  Bishop 
Gentry  of  Worland,  Wyoming,  and  John  Thomas  Bishop  of  Basin. 

1.  Interest  in  the  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department  is  greatly 
augmented  throughout  the  state  by  the  splendid  cooperation  of  members 
of  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board  of  each  of  the  seven  Judicial 
Districts  of  Wyoming.  We  are  pleased  to  present  in  this  iss,ue  of  the 
ANNALS  several  articles  prepared  by  members  of  the  Fifth  Judicial 
District  who  are  thoroughly  versed  in  their  local  and  state  history.  We 
wish  to  acknowledge  with  appreciation  these  contributions. — Ed. 

2.  At  the  invitation  of  Mrs.  Effie  Shaw  another  long  time  resident 
of  Cody  wrote  an  article  on  these  ''mysteries  of  the  past''  which  appears 
in  this  issue  of  the  ANNALS. 


ACTIVITIES  AND  PLANS,  FIFTH  JUDICIAL  DISTKICT         19 

on  rocks  in  the  vicinity  of  Cowley.  Jack  Haynes'  hobby,  as  we 
all  know,  is  photography,  in  which  profession  he  has  become 
famous.  Paul  Frison  has  several :  a  large  collection  of  arrow- 
heads, a  number  of  violins  among  which  are  the  oldest  and 
rarest  ones  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  for  over  a  period 
of  years  he  has  been  collecting  the  historical  data  of  the  Big 
Horn  Basin.  He  has  a  world  of  information  which  he  plans  to 
put  in  book  form  at  some  future  date.  My  hobby  is  dolls  of 
which  I  have  over  one  hundred  from  all  over  the  world.  So  after 
our  appointment  on  the  Historical  Board  we  decided  to  make  ' '  The 
Beautifying  of  Our  Section  of  Wyoming"  a  common  hobby. 

At  our  first  meeting  we  took  up  the  matter  of  the  unsightly 
advertising  signs  which  appear  promiscuously  along  our  high- 
ways, and  we  are  now  trying  to  have  them  replaced  by  attrac- 
tive notices  such  as  one  sees  on  the  road  from  Cody  to  Yellow- 
stone Park.  They  will  be  placed  at  all  historical  points  and 
other  places  of  interest. 

The  museums  have  also  been  discussed  and  a  move  made 
to  bring  them  to  the  attention  of  the  tourist.  At  that  time  we 
had  the  Cody  Museum  and  the  Shell  ^Museum,  the  latter  belong- 
ing to  the  late  Mrs.  M.  L.  Austin.  The  collection  was  left  to  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Henry  Smith,  who  has  loaned  this  marvelous 
exhibit  to  the  town  of  Greybull  where  it  can  be  viewed  at  the 
City  Hall.  Paul  Frison  has  plans  for  a  museum  he  hopes  to 
build  at  Ten  Sleep  to  house  his  splendid  collections. 

Another  project  most  vital  to  the  state  of  Wyoming  is  the 
preservation  of  its  fossils.  We  are  working  on  a  bill  we  hope 
to  have  passed  by  the  State  Legislature  to  the  effect  that  no 
more  fossils  found  on  State  Lands  be  allowed  to  be  taken  out 
of  the  State,  as  we  now  have  the  large  Museum  in  the  basement 
of  the  Supreme  Court  Building  at  Cheyenne  to  which  place  these 
fossils  can  be  removed  and  preserved. 

Our  latest  project  is  to  have  National  ^Monuments  estab- 
lished at  the  "Medicine  Wheel"  in  the  Big  Horn  ]\Iouutains 
and  the  "Tepee  Rings"  west  of  Cody.  We  are  greatly  en- 
couraged about  this  movement  as  we  are  in  receipt  of  a  letter 
from  Secretary  of  Interior  Ickes  assuring  us  of  his  full  sup- 
port in  this  matter. 

One  will  be  able  to  realize  just  how  enthusiastic  and  hope- 
ful of  success  we  are  when  I  state  that  since  our  appointment 
in  1937,  we  have  carried  on  unaided  by  legislative  appropriation. 

AVe  are,  however,  planning  to  sell  articles  at  the  nuiseum, 
shops  and  stores  in  our  District  in  order  to  help  defray  our 
expenses.  To  this  end  we  are  having  made  some  Spode  plates 
with  a  picture  of  the  Cody  IMuseum  in  the  center  and  scenes 
of  Wyoming  around  the  rim.  We  also  have  placed  ordei-s  for 
character  dolls — replicas  of  Sacajawea,  Esther  ]Morris.  and  Col- 
onel Codv. 


COLONEL  CODY'S  DREAM  OF  PIONEER  CENTER— 
A  REALITY 

By  Mary  Jester  Allen" 

William  Frederick  Cody,  better  known  as  Buffalo  Bill, 
last  of  the  great  scoats,  had  always,  in  my  memory,  been  such 
a  buoyant  figure,  so  vital  and  so  full  of  the  love  of  life,  that  I  had 
never  thought  of  him  as  anything  but  eternal  accomplishment. 

On  Decoration  Day,  1915,  Uncle  Will,  as  had  been  his  cus- 
tom for  a  few  years,  visited  me  in  Seattle.  As  usual,  on  those 
Seattle  visits,  the  Colonel's  old-time  friend,  Harry  Whitney 
Treat,  went  down  to  the  show  train  with  me  to  have  breakfast 
in  Uncle  Will's  private  car.  On  meeting  him  we  were  heartsick 
at  the  physical  change  a  year  had  brought.  He  was  so  thin,  so 
frail,  the  will  and  the  bone  structure  alone  seemed  as  of  old.  The 
mind  was,  as  always,  in  command  of  the  bare  body  outline,  but 
one  felt  at  once  that  our  beloved  hero  was  about  to  ride  away, 
this  time  not  to  return.  Even  the  throngs  on  the  street  and  at 
the  show  seemed  to  know  all  of  this.  The  cheers  rang  and  re- 
rang,  and  many  loving  urgings  to  take  care  of  himself  com- 
pletely melted  the  Colonel. 

As  always  Uncle  Will  wanted  to  gather  with  his  old 
friends.  He  never  forgot  a  face,  never  failed  to  look  up  com- 
rades, family,  and  old  timers.  So  the  closest  were  entertained, 
and  everybody  gathered  before  the  great  fireplace  where  logs 
burned  so  gloriously,  and  Uncle  Will  outlined  the  things  long 
in  his  heart  and  thoughts. 

We  talked  about  the  sort  of  tribute  a  man  wished  to  leave 
behind  him.  The  Colonel  had  long  told  me  of  his  great  desire, 
but  I  welcomed  this  public  confirmation.  He  had  worked  out 
the  details  carefully  and  the  plan  was  like  a  blue  print,  not  a 
bare  dream,  but  a  workable,  possible  thing.  Uncle  Will  wanted 

^BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Mary  Jester  Allen  was  born  in  West 
Chester,  Pennsylvania,  the  daughter  of  Helen  Cody  Jester  and  Alex- 
ander C.  Jester.     Her  mother  was  a  sister  of  Colonel  William  F.  Cody. 

As  a  girl  Mrs.  Allen  was  a  newspaper  editor  and  magazine  writer. 
When  eighteen  years  of  age  she  became  press  agent  for  her  Uncle, 
owner  of  the  Buffalo  Bill  Wild  West  Show.  She  has  been  an  active 
political  writer,  speaker,  organizer,  and  promotion  director  in  charge 
of  speakers'  bureaus  with  the  National  Republican  Committee. 

Mrs.  Allen  first  arrived  in  Wyoming  in  1922  when  she  came  to 
make  arrangements  for  the  erection  of  the  Buffalo  Bill  Statue  at  Cody. 
Since  1926  she  has  lived  in  Cody  at  the  Buffalo  Bill  Museum,  spending, 
however,  part  of  each  year  at  her  former  home  in  New  York  City. 

Mary  Jester  and  the  late  Robert  Bruce  Allen  were  married  in  Min- 
nesota, June  27,  1902,  and  to  them  was  born  one  daughter,  Cody  Allen, 
named  for  her  distinguished  grandmother,  Helen  Cody  Jester  Wetmore. 
Miss  Allen  resides  in  New  York  City. 


COLONEL  CODY'S  DREAM  OF  PIOXEER  CENTER      21 

created  a  great  western  American  Pioneer  Center  l)uilt  about 
the  heart  and  hearth  of  a  ranch  homestead.  He  wanted  tlie  com- 
ing generations  to  see  just  how  the  pioneer  lived  and  worked. 
His  mind  was  upon  his  much  beloved  T.  E.  Ranch  home  at 
Cody,  Wyoming,  his  new  wilderness,  his  last  pioneering.  He 
wished  to  teach  people  by  having  them  relive  and  see  that 
which  had  gone  with  the  past. 

The  plan  touched  us  all  so  deeply  that,  when  the  Colonel 
asked  us  to  pledge  ourselves  to  see  that  his  dearest  wishes  were 
carried  out  the  promise  sprang  from  all  lips.  The  fine  group  of 
successful  men  and  women  responded  to  the  ideas  and  were  de- 
lighted to  have  something  to  really  found  and  build  as  the  years 
went  along. 

The  Buffalo  Bill  Museum,  the  Cody  Pioneer  Center  in  the 
Buffalo  Bill  country  at  the  gateway  to  Yellowstone  National 
Park,  was  selected  by  Colonel  Cody  himself  as  his  gift  to  the 
world  of  today  and  tomorrow.  All  this  took  form  on  that  Decor- 
ation Day  in  1915. 

Members  of  the  first  committee  were  guests  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harry  Whitney  Treat,  and  Uncle  Will  himself  laid  a 
solemn  pledge  upon  me  to  carry  out  his  wishes,  for  I  was  his 
kinswoman  and  almost  his  daughter,  since  from  my  earliest 
childhood  he  had  had  the  care  of  my  mother  and  myself.  I  prom- 
ised. 

During  all  the  trying,  heart-breaking  years  I've  held  the 
vision  I  saw  that  night  before  a  roaring  fireplace  with  Uncle 
Will  there,  he  often  riding  so  far  ahead  that  he  seemed  a  flash- 
ing knight  of  old,  a  true  crusader.  On  January  10,  1917,  Uncle 
Will  rode  away  on  that  last  long  ride,  not  to  return. 

The  war  came  even  as  now,  and  we  laid  aside  everything 
l)ut  the  business  in  hand  of  fighting  for  freedom.  When  peace 
returned,  many  of  our  faithful  little  band  were  gone.  Finally, 
only  two  of  us  stood  firmly  determined ;  to  take  the  place  of 
those  who  had  gone,  I  rallied  loving  friends  from  all  over  the 
Americas,  the  world  in  fact — they  would  carry  on. 

Then  I  founded  The  Cody  Family,  Inc. — all  blood  and  birth 
Codys — chiefly  to  gather  those  who  had  the  real  reason  and 
understanding,  those  of  the  same  blood  to  advise  me  and  to 
carry  on.  When  we,  the  Codys  and  the  comrades,  Avere  about 
ready  to  build  our  ranch  home  museum,  the  urgent  message 
came  from  Wyoming  reminding  us  that  the  appropriation.^ 
voted  at  the  Colonel's  death,  must  be  used.  Used  now. 

Miss  Caroline  Lockhart,  a  l)rilliant  writer  and  publicity 


1.  Five  thousand  dollars  were  appropriated  by  the  State  Legislature 
in  1917,  to  be  used  in  erecting  a  memorial  statue  of  William  F.  Cody 
at  or  near  the  town  of  Cody  under  the  direction  of  the  Governor. — 
Session  Laws  of  Wyoming,  1917,  Chapter  94. 


22   ■  ANNALS  OP  WYOMING 

person  who  owned  the  newspaper  which  formerly  belonged  to 
Mother  and  Uncle  Will,  wrote  me  she  was  willing  to  help  out. 
I  was  settled  in  New  York  City  doing  publicity  and  writing  for 
newspapers,  etc.,  and  I  was  so  desperately  busy  with  my  own 
work  and  affairs  that  I  paid  little  attention.  Miss  Lockhart 
pounded  away  with  telegrams  and  letters,  and  finally  I  said 
that  I  would  do  the  pioneering  here  in  the  East. 

Jake  Schwobb,  S.  C.  Parks,  and  Colonel  Arthur  W.  Little 
had  suggested  Mrs.  Gertrude  Vanderbilt  Whitney  of  New  York 
to  make  a  statue.  Miss  Lockhart  insisted  that  I  go  see  her  and 
this  I  did.  I  was  simply  delighted  with  Mrs.  Whitney  the  mo- 
ment I  laid  eyes  on  her.  She  wasn't  at  all  the  person  I  thought 
she  would  be,  and  I  rather  think  she  had  a  surprise  upon  seeing 
me,  being  prepared  for  a  wild,  hard-riding  type  of  individual. 

We  wasted  no  time.  I  told  of  Uncle  Will  and  his  dream, 
and  before  I  was  finished  Mrs.  Whitney  had  caught  the  fire  of 
far-tlung  vision  and  was  walking  about  the  room  selling  me 
the  West. 

It  was  great  fun  and  I  loved  it  all,  even  the  many  upsets 
and  all  the  things  that  go  along  when  many  people  of  many 
types  are  arriving  at  one  concrete  and  positive  accomplishment. 
The  Codys  and  the  National  Museum  Committee  simply  stepped 
aside  and  gave  the  statue  right  of  way  because  that  was  neces- 
sary. 

The  statue  was  dedicated  July  4,  1924,  after  several  years, 
instead  of  what  I  had  hoped  would  be  only  weeks  of  my  time, 
and  extremely  hard  work  on  my  part  and  that  of  my  advisors. 
Immediately  following  the  dedication  of  the  statue,  we  took  up 
the  matter  of  the  ranch-home  museum. 

During  the  years  many  places  had  wanted  the  museum. 
Many  people  saw  no  reason  to  place  such  an  outstanding,  na- 
tional memorial  in  such  a  tiny  town  as  Cody — in  fact  by  this 
time  I  seemed  the  only  person  vitally  interested  who  even  con- 
sidered Cody. 

The  Cody  family  had  a  convention,  voted  to  have  a  museum 
honoring  our  kinsman,  and  appointed  a  committee  of  Codys, 
who  were  near  to  the  actual  life  of  Colonel  Cody  and  close  to 
him  in  friendship  and  companionship,  to  visit  the  places  offer- 
ing sites  and  other  considerations  that  really  had  claims.  • 

Five  of  us  made  the  inspection  tour,  east,  west  and  center, 
finally  arriving  in  Cody.  We  had  all  recognized  the  rights  of 
Kansas,  Iowa,  Nebraska ;  the  last  with  its  brisk  vision  and  offers 
of  land,  care,  funds,  fine  committees — all-out  aid — had  about 
won  the  day.  However,  my  cousins,  Hiram  Cody,  Harry  B. 
Cody,  and  Francis  Cody,  finally  recognized  what  the  Colonel 
envisioned  in  his  "last  frontier,"  and  the  town  of  Cody  became 
the  chosen  site. 


COLONEL  CODY'S  DREAM  OF  PIONEER  CENTER  23 

Shortly  thereafter  a  T.  B.  knee  forced  me  to  leave  my  be- 
loved work  and  New  York,  and  to  gain  release  I  plunged  into 
the  building  of  the  Buffalo  Bill  Museum.  The  Cody  Family 
assumed  the  underwriting  or  the  burden  of  seeing  it  tlirough 
at  the  start,  the  state  and  the  town  of  Cody  working  along. 

In  the  early  days  these  two  things,  the  statue  and  tlie 
museum,  seemed  overwhelming  undertakings  to  the  small  town 
and  it  was  fearful  of  much  money  obligation ;  more  than  that 
it  all  didn't  ring  possible.  Those  things  just  didn't  come  true. 
Statues,  museums,  pioneer  centers  were  very  unstable  things, 
to  be  found  in  a  thoroughly  visionary  world  that  dreamers, 
promotion  and  publicity  fashioned  out  of  wishful  thinking. 

History  again  repeated  itself.  First  my  grandfather-  knew 
there  was  a  West,  a  land  of  free  thinking  and  homemaking. 
Then  came  Colonel  Cody,  my  uncle,  Avho  knew  that  each  new 
frontier  had  an  undelivered  promise,  and  that  the  AVild  West 
Show,  a  picture  of  the  winning  of  the  West,  could  be  real.  Then 
I  came  along  and  talked  of  statues,  museums,  pioneer  centers 
of  education,  art,  and  history ;  each  had  a  vision,  each  was  a 
dreamer  in  his  turn.  Facts  have  taught  us  now  that  each  vision 
and  dream  is  but  the  forerunner  of  the  great  accomplishment ; 
some  one  has  first  to  dream  the  created  thing. 

Everybody  simply  decided  to  go  blind,  take  off  the  public 
coat,  and  go  to  Avork.  And  work  it  was.  Little  Cody  town 
buckled  down,  trusting  where  it  could  not  see,  just  working, 
giving,  going  straight  ahead.  We  obtained  our  land,  then  we 
got  our  logs.  We  organized  committees,  the  committees  secured 
the  funds ;  the  workers  went  to  work.  Day  by  day  logs  piled 
on  logs  and  the  structure  took  shape.  Some  way  the  bills  got 
paid.  Then  all  at  once  we  really  had  a  charming,  lovely,  glori- 
fied copy  of  Uncle  Will's  beloved  T.  E.  Ranch  home,  with 
handsome  gTeat  fireplaces  and  hearths  to  gather  about.  Three 
years  to  the  hour  after  the  dedication  of  the  Buffalo  Bill  Statue, 
the  Museum  was  dedicated  with  such  a  program  as  no  one  ever 
thought  possible. 

Our  building  stood  out  alone  amidst  the  sagebrush.  We 
picked  up  that  load.  too.  Trees  were  planted,  grass  was  sown, 
flowers  were  set  out.  The  many  rooms  pleaded  for  furnishings, 
relics,  color,  beauty.  Not  one  minute  Avent  in  idle  complaints. 
Relics  we  had  to  luive,  relics  Ave  Avent  after,  and  relics  Ave  got. 

These  things  kept  us  so  busy  Ave  rode  right  into  the  big 
storm  of  the  depression  and  the  Avinds  hoAvled  upon  us,  but  Ave 
took  that,  too,  in  our  stride.  Those  Avere  the  hardest,  most 
dreadful  years  in  my  memory.  One  didn't  have  time  to  tliiuk. 
there  Avere  so  many  things  to  consider  in  order  to  keep  afloat 
and  to  weather  the  storm.  We  did.  of  course. 


Isaac  Codv.  father  of  Buffalo  Bill. 


24  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Now  we  are  crowded  with  fascinating,  history-portraying 
relics.  Every  room  has  its  overload  in  closet  and  safe.  The  trees 
and  every  green  thing  grew  magically.  This  year  we  lifted  our 
final  bonds  and  cleared  the  debts. 

We  stride  along  now,  taking  our  next  step — a  children's 
museum. 


THE  CODYS  IN  LE  CLAIRE^ 
By  F.  M.  Fryxell* 

(Published  in  Annals  of  Iowa,  July,  1929) 

The  history  of  the  Cody  family  during  their  residence  in 
the  vicinity  of  Le  Claire,  Iowa,  from  1840  to  1852  is  an  interest- 
ing excerpt  from  the  pioneer  history  of  the  prairies,  and  is 
probably  typical  of  thousands  of  other  frontier  narratives  that 
have  similarly  gone  unrecorded. 

Our  account  begins  with  the  removal  of  Isaac  Cody,  later 
distinguished  as  the  father  of  Col.  William  F.  Cody,  from 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  to  Cincinnati,  in  1837,  with  the  purpose  of 
there  taking  up  the  study  and  practice  of  medicine.  But  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  Cody,  then  a  man  of  about  thirty, 
was  not  suited  for  such  a  sober  professional  career,  and  it  is  not 
surprising  that  after  one  year  he  gave  it  up  and  decided  to  try 
his  fortune  in  what  was  then  the  far  west. 

About  this  time  there  was  taking  place  a  large  emigration 
to  the  Iowa  Territory  and  a  great  many  Clevelanders  were 
choosing  home  sites  along  the  Mississippi  River  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  two  embryonic  settlements,  Le  Claire  and  Parkhurst, 
both  of  Avhich  lay  within  the  region  which  had  been  ceded  to 
the  government  by  the  Sac  Indians  under  Black  Hawk  a  few 
years  before  (1832)  and  hence  was  newly  opened  to  white 
settlement.  So  in  1839  we  find  Isaac  Cody  leaving  his  wife^  and 
little  girl,  Martha,  and  journeying  to  Parkhurst,  loAva  Terri- 
tory. Here  he  entered  claim  on  some  land  (what  is  now  the  John 
S.  Wilson  farm,  one  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of  Le  Claire), 
operated  a  small  general  store  in  Parkhurst,  and  in  1840  built 
the  little  frame  house  which  still  stands  along  the  river  road  at 
the  northern  edge  of  Le  Claire. 


^Professor  of  Geology,  Augustana  College,  Eoek  Island,  Illinois. 

1.  Although,  this  article  embodies  material  gained  from  a  variety 
of  sources,  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  it  is  based  on  notes  obtained 
during  the  many  occasions  when  I  have  A^sited  Col.  J.  D.  Barnes,  venerable 
Le  Claire  historian,  and  discussed  "the  old  times"  with  him.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  acknowledge  this  great  indebtedness,  and  to  pay  tribute  to 
Col.  Barnes '  authority  in  matters  historical. 

2.  This  was  Isaac  Cody's  second  wife,  Mary  Ann  Laycock.  Martha 
was  Isaac's  daughter  and  only  child  by  his  first  wife,  who  had  died 
Tsef  ore  he  moved  to  Cincinnati. 


THE   CODYS   IN   LE   CLAIRE  25 

In  1841  Cody  revisited  Cincinnati,  and  when  he  returned  to 
Iowa  in  the  spring  of  1842  lie  brought  back  with  him  his  wife 
and  daughter.  AVhile  in  the  act  of  changing  boats  at  St.  L""uis 
on  this  trip  he  met  one  Dennis  Barnes,  a  man  of  about  his  own 
age,  who  had  also  left  his  family  in  Cincinnati  and  was- on  his 
way  west  to  look  up  a  location.  Cody  urged  Barnes  to  try  his 
fortune  with  him  in  Iowa,  and  finally  persuaded  him  to  do  so. 
By  such  apparently  trivial  circumstances  were  destinies  deter- 
mined on  the  frontier. 

When  Cody  and  Barnes  landed  at  Parkhurst  the  latter 
hastened  by  horseback  to  Dubuque  and  there  entered  claim  on 
a  quarter  section  adjacent  to  Cody's.  Thus  Cody  and  Barnes 
became  neig-hbors  and  good  friends,  remaining  so  for  many 
years  in  spite  of  political  differences  and  the  vicissitudes  of  tlie 
times. 

The  subsequent  histories  of  the  two  families  reflect  the 
differences  between  their  respective  heads.  Dennis  Barnes 
spent  the  rest  of  his  long  and  exceedingly  useful  life  in  the  Le 
Claire  region,  and  became  a  prominent  figure  in  the  develop- 
ment of  this  portion  of  Iowa,  serving  as  first  mayor  of  Le  Claire 
(1854)  and  holding  other  positions  of  like  responsibility,  finally 
passing  away  in  1898  at  the  age  of  92.  His  descendants  have 
carried  on  in  the  community  in  the  same  fashion,  and  his  now 
aged  son.  Col.  J.  D.  Barnes,  is  deserving  of  special  mention. 
Isaac  Cody,  on  the  other  hand,  represents  a  wholly  different 
type  of  frontiersman,  equally  characteristic  of  the  border  and 
e({ually  necessary  to  it;  he  is  represented  to  us  as  quick  temper- 
ed but  generous,  impetuous  in  words  and  actions,  an  ardent  and 
vigorously  outspoken  antislavery  man,  and  with  the  true 
pioneer's  eagerness  to  try  his  fortunes  in  new  ways  and  new 
country. 

Obviously  to  such  a  temperament  farming  did  not  in-esent 
a  particularly  strong  appeal,  and  it  is  not  difficult  to  find  an 
explanation  for  Cody's  restlessness  in  Iowa,  or  for  his  lirief  and 
stormy  career  subsequently^  iu  "bloody  Kansas." 

Col.  Barnes  tells  us  that  Isaac  Cody  and  his  father  were 
among  the  first  of  the  immigrants  in  the  Le  Claire  region  wlio 
ventured  to  homestead  up  on  the  prairies,  and  that  they  did  so 
out  of  necessity  for  the  reason  that  the  first  arrivals  had  staked 
out  all  available  land  in  the  near-by  jMississippi  Valley.  This 
seems  inexplicable  to  us  at  first  thought,  for  in  our  times  the 
prairie  land  is  often  the  more  valuable ;  Imt  the  early  immi- 
grants, most  of  whom  came  from  the  wooded  eastern  states, 
regarded  the  open  and  lonely  prairies  with  suspicion  and  fear, 
and  deliberately  avoided  them  in  favor  of  the  river  flats  and 
bluffs,  where  there  were  no  prairie  fires  and  the  blizzards  were 
less  violent,  where  timber  and  building  stone  were  plentiful, 
and  where  steamboats  passing  up  and  down  the  ^lississipi>> 


26  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

could  keep  them  in  touch  with  the  world  from  which  they  had 
come. 

Later  in  the  year  1842  Cody  and  his  family  left  the  home- 
stead for  a  time  and  went  to  Walnut  Grove,  twelve  miles  to  the 
northwest,  where  Cody  hired  out  to  "break  prairie"  for  Col. 
W.  F.  Brackenridge,  a  leader  in  the  opening  up  of  eastern  Iowa. 
It  was  in  this  year,  and  probably  while  the  family  was  in  Wal- 
nut Grove,  that  Samuel,  the  oldest  son  in  the  family  and  the 
first  child  by  Cody's  second  wife,  was  born. 

The  Cody  family  was  found  in  1843  back  on  the  old  home- 
stead again,  northwest  of  Le  Claire.  Here  they  remained  for 
seven  years,  and  here  all  the  rest  of  the  Cody  children  were 
born  except  Charles,  the  youngest,  who  was  born  in  1853,  the 
year  following  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Kansas.  Those  born 
at  the  Le  Claire  homestead  were  Julia^  (1843),  William  (1845), 
Eliza  (1847),  Helen^  (1849),  and  May  (1851).  It  is  said  that 
Mrs.  Cody  was  an  ardent  admirer  of  Queen  Victoria  and  emu- 
lated her  in  many  rather  astonishing  particulars ;  witness  the 
size  of  her  family  and  the  regularity  with  which  her  children 
made  their  arrival. 

Since  the  second  son  of  the  family,  William,  was  destined 
to  later  fame,  we  pause  for  a  moment  before  the  account  of  his 
birth  as  it  has  been  published  in  several  sources  and  re-told  in 
Le  Claire  on  many  occasions.  The  naive  account  has  something 
of  a  Biblical  ring  to  it : 

"The  circumstances  of  William's  birth  were  related  by  old 
Aunty  Zebly,  the  wife  of  Eleazar  Parkhurst,  and  Mrs.  Dennis 
Barnes,  and  as  they  were  present  on  the  occasion  the  particu- 
lars are  supposed  to  be  correct.  It  occurred  on  the  night  of 
February  26,  1845,  and  when  Mrs.  Cody  was  informed  that  her 
newly  born  was  a  son,  she  immediately  replied  that  his  name 
should  be  William  Frederick." 


3.  Julia  Cody  Goodman,  the  last  survivor  of  this  family,  passed 
away  recently,  on  October  26,  1928,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  while  visit- 
ing her  3'oungest  son  in  Honolulu.  Her  body  was  cremated  and  the  ashes 
brought  back  to  America,  being  placed  beside  those  of  her  husband  in 
the  cemetery  at  North  Platte,  Nebraska,  on  November  14.  In  May  and 
June,  1927,  the  year  prior  to  her  death,  Mrs.  Goodman  revisited  Le  Claire 
for  the  first  time  since  1852,  seventy-five  years  before,  when  as  a  girl  of 
nine  she  had  left  for  frontier  Kansas  as  described  in  the  present  narra- 
tive. The  reunion  of  Mrs,  Goodman  and  Col.  Barnes  in  Davenport  on 
the  morning  of  May  28  was  an  occasion  of  unusual  interest  which  the 
writer  will  not  soon  forget.  Once  neighbors  and  favorite  plaJ^nates, 
they  had  not  seen  each  other  for  three-quarters  of  a  century;  and  now 
at  eighty-four  their  paths  crossed  once  more.  Mrs.  Goodman  spent  many 
days  in  and  around  Le  Claire,  revisiting  familiar  haunts,  looking  up  the 
few  of  her  old  neighbors  still  living,  and  being  feted  on  every  hand  by 
the  younger  generation. 

4.  Mother  of  Maiy  Jester  Allen  and  author  of  The  Last  of  the  Great 
Scouts,  a  biography  of  her  brother,  William  F.  Cody. — Ed. 


THE   CODYS  IN   LE   CLAIRE  27 

The  house  on  the  Le  Claire  homestead  in  which  "Buffalo 
Bill"  and  the  other  Cody  children  were  born  was  razed  some 
time  about  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  and  no  illustration  of  it 
has  come  down  to  us.  From  descriptions  given  many  years 
later  by  William  and  Julia  Cody  and  by  Joe  Barnes  we  know 
that  it  was  like  any  other  homesteader's  cabin  of  the  time — built 
of  logs  and  frame,  chiefly  the  latter,  and  resting  on  a  foundation 
of  limestone  blocks  obtained  at  uear-by  outcrops  in  the  valley. 

We  have  no  record  of  any  important  events  in  the  annals 
of  the  Codys  during  the  years  of  residence  on  the  homestead 
other  than  the  periodic  arrival  of  the  new  baby,  the  further 
improvement  of  the  land,  and  the  addition  by  purchase  of  forty 
acres  of  land  adjacent  to  the  original  quarter  section.  The  cir- 
cumstances of  the  family  during  the  period  were  probably 
much  the  same  as  they  were  in  the  early  '50 's,  of  which  time 
Col.  Cody  wrote  in  his  Autohiography,  "My  father,  Isaac,  and 
mother,  Mary  Ann,  were  honest  folks,  but  their  possessions 
comprehended  s.carcely  anything  more  than  good  characters 
and  eight  children. ' ' 

We  should  perhaps  mention  that  in  April,  1843,  Dennis 
Barnes,  too,  returned  to  Ohio  as  Cody  had  before  him,  and  when 
a  year  later,  on  April  10th,  he  landed  at  the  Le  Claire  wharf, 
he  had  with  him  his  wife  and  two  boys,  new  neighliors  for  the 
Codys. 

In  the  spring  of  1849  the  belated  news  reached  Le  Claire 
that  the  year  before,  gold  had  been  discovered  in  California. 
In  this  peaceful  community  as  in  many  another  the  story  had 
the  effect  of  an  exploded  bomb.  The  information  was  brought 
to  Le  Claire  via  steamboat,  and  we  can  picture  with  what  in- 
creasing excitement  Isaac  Cody  devoured  the  accounts  of  gold 
discovery  and  of  overland  expeditions  that  filled  the  St.  Louis 
newspapers.  As  we  might  expect,  it  was  he  who  first  caught 
the  fever  and  by  degrees  transmitted  it  to  the  more  cautious 
Dennis  Barnes,  who  afterwards  held  that  "it  was  all  Isaac's 
fault ! ' '  Eventually  the  lure  proved  irresistible  for  both,  and, 
preparatory  to  casting  their  lots  for  better  or  worse  in  the  Gold 
Rush,  they  disposed  of  their  farms  and  sold  everything  that 
they  could  not  pack  into  prairie  schooners  for  the  long  journey. 

Cody,  Barnes,  and  one  George  "Lucy"  Long,  a  bachelor  of 
dubious  reputation,  struck  up  a  three-foUl  alliance  for  the  great 
adventure;  and  each  of  the  partners  providetl  a  jirairie  schooner 
and  two  yoke  of  oxen  to  pull  it.  The  plan  determined  upon  was 
to  leave  early  in  the  spring  of  the  next  year,  1850,  as  soon  as  the 
grass  on  the  prairies  would  be  high  enough  to  support  the 
cattle,  to  Journey  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  and  there  to 
unite  with  a  caravan  bound  overland  for  California  under 
escort  of  a  company  of  dragoons  commanded  by  Captain  George 
Dodge  of  Port  Byron,  Illinois.  Cody  and  his  two  partners  in- 


28  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

vested  a  large  portion  of  their  funds  in  supplies  of  bacon, 
canned  goods,  crackers,  and  other  necessities  for  the  trip,  all  of 
which  were  purchased  by  Captain  Dodge  (who  was  then  navi- 
gating the  upper  Mississippi)  at  St.  Louis  and  sent  on  up  the 
Missouri  River  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  there  to  await  the  arrival 
of  the  wagons. 

The  spring  of  '50  came  round.  "But,"  reads  the  record, 
' '  when  the  time  came  to  start  and  the  oxen  were  standing  under 
their  yokes  ready  to  be  hitched  to  the  wagons,  news  came  of 
terrible  Indian  atrocities,  coupled  with  the  sad  fate  which  at- 
tended the  Donner  party.  "'^  These  ill  tidings  sounded  with 
ominous  ring  in  the  ears  of  this  handful  of  emigrants,  and  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  that  they  paused  to  reconsider  the  advis- 
ability of  exposing  themselves  and  their  small  children  to  such 
dangers.  "Lucy"  Long  flatly  demurred  and  refused  to  leave 
the  safety  of  Le  Claire.  According  to  Col.  Barnes,  his  father 
and  Isaac  Cody  would  still  have  set  out  for  the  Eldorado  and 
abandoned  the  project  only  with  utmost  reluctance  and  out  of 
necessity  because  they  could  persuade  no  one  else  to  buy  out 
Long's  equipment  and  they  themselves  were  too  poor  to  do  so. 
Thus  the  caravan  never  left  the  town  limits  of  Le  Claire !  We 
can  understand  how  Col.  Barnes  is  often  led  to  wonder,  "If 
we  had  gone — 'what  then?"  But  who  can  answer  such  a  ques- 
tion ? 

The  collapse  of  the  California  air  castle  placed  the  two 
families  in  a  predicament  that  was  decidedly  embarassing  and 
critical.  Their  implements  and  farms  had  been  sold  to  provide 
funds  for  the  trip,  and  the  goods  sent  on  to  Fort  Leavenworth 
were  beyond  recovery.  Eventually  Isaac  Cody  took  up  tempo- 
rary residence  for  the  summer  months  in  the  frame  house  in 
Parkhurst  which  he  had  built  ten  years  previously ;  and  Dennis 
Barnes  settled  in  Le  Claire. 

That  summer  Isaac  Cody  found  employment  driving  a 
passenger  stage  on  the  Davenport-Le  Claire  portion  of  what 
was  intended  to  become  a  stage  line  extending  as  far  as  Du- 
buque but  which  failed  before  the  line  was  completed.  This 
occupation  must  have  been  one  quite  to  Cody's  liking,  for  he 
was  passionately  fond  of  horses.  It  is  said  that  he  could  make 
the  run  from  the  Le  Claire  House  at  Davenport  to  Parkhurst, 
a  distance  of  about  fourteen  miles,  in  one  hour  and  five  min- 
utes. This  must  have  been  perilously  near  the  speed  limit  for 

5.  The  Donner  Party,  composed  of  eighty  persons  on  their  way  to 
California,  were  trapped  in  the  snow  on  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  Octo- 
ber 31,  1846.  Of  ten  men  and  five  women  who  went  for  aid  to  the  settle- 
ments in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  two  men  and  the  five  women  reached  their 
destination.  Only  forty-four  of  the  entire  party  rached  California  alive, 
the  last  arriving  on  April  25,  1847.-- Coutant,  History  of  Wyoming,  Vol.  1, 
l,p.  .307-.308.— Ed. 


THE   CODYS   IX  LE  CLAIRE  29 

those  times.  We  wonder  what  Isaac  Cody's  reaction  would  he 
could  he  come  to  life  and  see  the  fine  concrete  road  which  now 
links  Davenport  and  Le  Claire,  and  witness  the  constant  stream 
of  traffic  which  flows  over  the  path  where,  seventj^-eight  years 
ago,  his  high  stage  rattled  and  bumped  through  mud  and  ruts 
in  the  thrillingly  fast  time  of  one  hour  and  tive  minutes ! 

Though  literally  and  figuratively  it  was  true  that  for  Issac 
Cody  and  his  wife  the  lines  had  not  always  fallen  in  pleasant 
places,  life  for  the  children  was  carefree  enough  if  we  are  to 
take  as  evidence  this  brief  picture  from  the  Le  Claire  days 
which  appears  in  Col.  Cody's  Autohiograpliy : 

"At  Le  Claire  I  was  sent  to  a  school  where,  by  diligence 
and  fairly  good  conduct  I  managed  to  familiarize  myself  with 
the  alphabet,  but  further  progress  was  arrested  by  a  suddenly 
developed  love  for  skiff  riding  on  the  Mississippi,  which  occu- 
pied so  much  of  my  time  thereafter  that  really  I  found  no  con- 
venient opportunity  for  further  attendance  at  school,  though 
neither  my  father  nor  mj'  mother  had  the  slightest  idea  of  my 
new  found,  self-imposed,  employment,  much  to  my  satisfaction 
let  me  add.  When  I  was  thrown  in  the  society  of  other  boys  I  was 
not  slow  to  follow  their  example,  and  I  take  to  myself  no  special 
credit  for  my  conduct  as  a  town  boy;  for,  like  the  majority  I 
foraged  among  neighboring  orchards  and  melon  patches,  rode 
horses  when  I  was  able  to  catch  them  grazing  on  the  commons. 
I  would  not  like  to  admit  any  greater  crimes,  though  anything 
may  be  implied  in  the  confession  that  I  was  quite  as  bad,  though 
no  worse,  than  the  ordinary  everyday  boy  who  goes  barefoot, 
wears  a  brimless  hat,  one  suspender,  and  a  mischievous  smile."" 

In  the  fall  of  1850  the  Codys  moved  again,  this  time  to 
Long  Grove,  three  miles  southwest  of  Walnut  Grove,  and  here 
Isaac  again  found  employment  breaking  prairie  for  Col.  Brack- 
enridge.  Col.  Barnes  has  many  reminiscences  of  the  occasions 
when  Col.  Brackenridge  and  Isaac  Cody  came  to  Le  Claire  dur- 
ing 1850  and  1851  to  pay  friendly  or  professional  calls  to  his 
father's  notary  public  office. 

It  was  in  1S51  during  the  Long  Grove  sojourn  that  tragedy 
cast  its  shadow  across  the  Cody  threshold.  Samuel,  ten  years  of 
age  and,  it  is  written,  "the  pride  of  his  parents.""  was  killed  1  y 
a  vicious  unbroken  colt  Avhich  he  attempted  to  ride  out  after 
the  cattle.  No  one  was  witness  to  the  accident,  the  crushed  body 
of  the  boy  being  found  after  a  search.  Sam  Cody  lies  buried  in 
the  Long  Grove  Cemetery  under  a  stone  erected  many  years 
later,  in  the   "80 "s,  by  his  brotlier  William.''  This  tragedy  let'i 


(5.  Col.  Barnes  states  that  the  grave  stone  which  marks  Samuel 
Cody's  resting  place  in  the  Long  Grove  Cenieterv  is  orroneouslv  dated 
1854  instead  of  1851. 


30  ANNALS  OP  WYOMING 

William,  then  six,  as  the  oldest  son  of  the  family.  It  was  only 
six  years  later  that  a  second  tragedy,  the  untimely  death  of 
Isaac,  left  the  Cody  household  fatherless ;  and  William  at  twelve 
years  of  age  became,  perforce,  the  "man"  of  the  family. 

The  westward  urge  in  the  heart  of  Isaac  Ct>dy  was  not 
quenched  by  the  experiences  of  1850,  and  by  1852  he  had  defi- 
nitely reached  a  decision  of  far-reaching  consequences — to 
emigrate  to  the  Kansas  border.  Doubtless  there  were  many 
factors  which  induced  Isaac  to  make  the  change.  It  is  known 
that  his  wife  was  unhappy  at  Long  Grove  since  the  death  of 
Samuel,  and  was  anxious  to  leave.  The  move  had  long  been 
urged  by  Elijah  Cody,  brother  of  Isaac,  who  lived  at  Weston, 
Missouri,  not  far  from  the  Kansas  line.  In  addition  it  is  clear 
that  a  life  as  an  Iowa  farmer  was  neither  an  easy  one  for  Cody 
nor  one  much  to  his  taste.  Times  were  hard  and  money  so  scarce 
that  the  necessities  of  life  could  commonly  be  secured  only  by 
barter.  Nor  coald  Cody  increase  the  slender  income  wrung  from 
the  farm  by  working  on  the  river,  as  did  many  of  his  neighbors, 
including  Dennis  Barnes,  who  shipped  out  as  steamboat  mate 
during  seasons  that  were  otherwise  non-lucrative. 

This  time  the  plans  of  Isaac  Cody  did  not  fall  through.  In 
April,  1852,  he  again  made  ready  to  emigrate,  and,  pending  the 
coming  of  favorable  weather,  he  moved  his  family  down  to  Le 
Claire  to  stay  with  his  friends,  the  Barneses.  Col.  Barnes,  at  the 
time  in  his  tenth  year,  tells  us  that  his  chum,  Billy  Cody,  was 
then  a  dark  handsome  boy,  taller  than  himself  though  two  years 
younger,  who  had  inherited  all  of  his  father's  fondness  for  rid- 
ing horses  and  caring  for  them,  and  who  could  at  his  age  handle 
a  team  as  well  as  a  full-grown  man. 

By  June  the  grass  was  up  on  the  prairies,  and  without 
further  ado  Isaac  packed  his  belongings  into  a  buckboard :  Mrs. 
Cody  with  May,  still  a  baby  in  arms,  and  the  excited  young- 
sters, climbed  into  the  hack  that  was  to  carry  them  so  far ; 
goodbyes  were  said ;  and  the  Codys  set  out  down  the  river  road, 
Isaac  driving  the  buckboard  and  Billy  the  hack.  The  momen- 
tous step  had  been  taken,  Le  Claire  was  left  behind.  Isaac  Cody 
was  again  pioneering. 

At  Davenport  the  little  procession  left  the  valley  and 
struck  out  across  the  prairies,  then  "a  great  stretch  of  unin- 
habited wilderness"  reaching  all  the  way  from  the  Mississippi 
River  to  the  Missouri.  Having  followed  the  Codys  thus  far,  to 
the  close  of  the  Le  Claire  chapter,  we  leave  them — trailing 
westward  into  new  country,  eagerly  confronting  the  future,  one 
that  was  destined  to  be  more  eventful  and  more  charged  with 
fortunes  both  good  and  bad,  than  their  imaginations  in  their 
most  daring  flights  could  possibly  have  anticipated. 


THE  EXPEDITION  OF  PRESIDENT  CHESTER  A.  ARTHUR 
TO  YELLOWSTONE  NATIONAL  PARK  IN  1883 

By  Jack  Ellis  Haynes* 

So  few  copies  of  the  official  record  of  this  famous  expedi- 
tion were  made  and  so  little  exact  information  of  the  route 
followed  is  available,  that,  since  I  have  in  my  possession  a  map 
of  the  route  made  at  the  time  as  well  as  all  the  original  photo- 
graphs of  the  trip,  I  have  been  prompted  to  submit  this  in- 
formation to  the  AVyoming-  Historical  Department  for  its 
records. 

To  show  how  slowly  people  traveled  in  "Wyoming  in  1883, 
I  quote  a  page  from  the  diary  of  Frank  Jay  Haynes,  written 
while  he  was  on  his  way  with  two  large  cameras  to  join  the 
Presidential  party  at  Fort  Washakie,  Wyoming  Territory.  He 
had  been  invited  by  General  Sheridan  to  make  a  pictorial  rec- 
ord of  a  momentous  350  mile  trip  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  through  Wyoming  and  Yellowstone  National  Park.  Presi- 
dent Chester  A.  Arthur  was  the  first  President  to  visit  the 
Park,  which  had  been  established  eleven  years  before. 

A  page  from  the  Diary  of  F.  J.  Haynes — 1883 : 

"Left  Rawlins  July  21 

July  21   Saturday  PM  droye  to  Bell  Springs 

July  22  Lost  Soldier  Creek 

July  23  Crooked  Creek.    Crooks  Gap 

24  Sweet  Water  Bridge 

25  Twin  Creek 

26  Big  Popogie  (Popo  Agie) 

27  Fort  Wasiiakie,  Little  Wind 

Rawlins  to  Ft.  Washakie,  Wyoniing 


*BIOCtRAPHICAL  sketch— Jack  Ellis  Haynes,  the  son  of  Lily 
Verna  Haynes  and  Frank  Jay  Haynes,  was  born  on  September  27.  1SS4, 
at  Fargo,  Dakota  Territory.  His  father,  who  was  the  authorized  photog- 
rapher for  Yellowstone  Park,  was  granted  the  photogaphie  c-oneossion 
for  the  Park  in  1884  and  at  that  time  established  the  first  Haynes  Studio 
at  Mammoth.  In  June,  1888,  Jaek  Haynes  came  to  Wyoming  where  he 
maintains  his  legal  residence,  his  winter  headquarters  being  located  at 
St.  Paul,   Minnesota. 

The  photographic  concession  was  transferred  to  Jack  E.  Haynes  in 
1916,  and  to  his  yery  attractiye  studios,  located  at  all  important  points 
throughout  the  Park,  thousands  of  tourists  throng  each  year.  He  is  the 
author  of  the  Hdi/ucs  Guide,  Yellnwsloiic  Xdtionol  Park.  Actiye  in  many 
different  fields  of  interest,  Mr.  Haynes  is  a  memher  of  several  clubs  and 
sports  organizations  as  well  as  of  numerous  historical  associations  and  civi'^ 
groups. 

In  1930  he  was  married  to  Isabel  M.  Hauerth  at  Nashua,  Iowa.  He 
has  one  daughter,  Lida   Haynes,   of   Yellowstone   Park,  Wyoming. 


15.8 

25.1 

40.9 

19.8 

60.7 

20.2 

80.9 

25 

105.9 

18.5 

124.4 

15 

139.4 

139.4 

miles 

£B  * 


EXPEDITION   OF   PRESIDENT   CHESTER  A.   ARTHUR         33 

Oui-  o.utfit  consisted  of: 

Col.  J.  F.  Gregory  &  myself 
1  ambulance  and  driver 

5  Gov't.  6  mule  wagons 

6  Cooks,  wagon  masters  and  soldiers." 

Prefacing"  a  list  of  thirty-two  Imperial  (8x10)  photographs 
and  forty-eight  Stereoscopic  subjects  taken  on  this  expedition, 
the  Haynes  Catalog  of  Northern  Pacific  and  National  Park 
Views  published  at  Fargo,  Dakota  Territory,  1884,  carries  this 
statement : 

"President    Arthur's    Journey    Through    Wyoming    and    the 

National  Park 

AUGUST,  1883 

"The  presidential  party  left  the  Union  Pacific  Railway  at  Green 
River,  Wyoming,  and  proceeded  to  Fort  Washakie,  150  miles  north,  by 
ambulance.  From  Fort  Washakie  saddle  animals  were  used  exclusively, 
as  the  country  between  there  and  the  park  is  very  rough  and  moun 
tainous.  The  trail  followed  was  laid  out  by  General  Sheridan,  and 
passes  through  the  most  picturesque  portion  of  the  Rocky  mountains. 
Provisions  and  camp  equipage  were  transported  by  pack  trains,  175 
pack  animals  were  used  on  the  expedition.  An  escort  of  75  cavalry 
under  charge  of  Captain  Hayes  accompanied  the  party. 

"The  party  was  composed  of  the  following: 

"President  Arthur,  General  Sheridan,  General  Stager,  Judge  Rol- 
lins, Senator  Vest,  Secretary  Lincoln,  Governor  Crosby,  Geo.  G.  Vest, 
Esq.,  Col.  Gregory,  Qol.  Sheridan,  Captain  Clark,  Dr.  Fordham  (Major 
W.  H.  Forwood,  Surgeon,  U.  S.  Army),  F.  Jay  Haynes,  photographer." 

A  book,  of  which  only  twelve  copies  were  ever  made,  is  the 
official  record  of  this  little  known  trip.  No  newspaper  corre- 
spondents accompanied  the  expedition  from  Fort  Washakie  to 
Cinnabar,  Montana  Territory ;  the  dispatches  were  mostly  writ- 
ten by  Lieutenant-Colonel  M.  V.  Sheridan,  Military  Secretary, 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  F.  Gregory,  Aide-de-Camp.  All 
dispatches  were  read  to  and  approved  by  the  President  before 
being  sent.  The  photographs,  which  form  an  important  feature 
of  the  book,  were  taken  by  F.  Jay  Haynes.  The  publication 
referred  to  is:  Journey  Through  the  Yellowstone  National 
Park  and  North-Western  Wyoming.  188.i.  PJiotographs  of 
Party  and  Scenery  Along  the  Route  Traveled,  and  Copies  of 
the  Associated-  Press  Dispatch es  Sent  Whilst  En  Poute.  Wash- 
ington :    Government  Printing  Office. 

The  following  memorandum  from  the  War  Departnient  was 
received  in  1927  by  Horace  M.  Albright,  then  superintendent 
of  Yellowstone  National  Park,  in  reply  to  his  request  for  full 
information  concerning  President  Arthur's  visit  in  1883: 


34  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

"War  Department 
The  Adjutant  General's  Office 

Washingtou 
MEMORANDUM 

"Subject:  President  Arthur's  Expedition  Through  Yellowstone 
National  Park  in  1883. 

"The  information  afforded  by  the  records  of  the  War  Department 
on  this  expedition  is  very  meagre.  However,  the  official  records  show 
that  on  August  7th,  1883,  President  Arthur  accompanied  by  Secretary 
of  War  Eobert  T.  Lincoln,  General  Wm.  T.  Sherman,  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  and  General  Phillip  H.  Sheridan,  U.  S.  A., 
arrived  at  Fort  Washakie,  and  on  August  9th,  1883,  proceeded  on  an 
expedition  through  Yellowstone  National  Park  where  a  permanent 
camp  was  established  at  Mammoth  Springs. 

"It  is  also  shown  by  the  records  that  on  July  13,  1883,  Troop  D, 
2d  U.  S.  Cavalry,  Captain  Gregg  commanding,  having  been  detailed  as 
escort  for  Gen.  Wm.  T.  Sherman,  left  Fort  Ellis,  Montana  Territory, 
July  3,  1883,  on  an  expedition  to  Yellowstone  National  Park.  It  re- 
turned to  Fort  Ellis  July  18,  1883,  having  traveled  a  distance  of  276 
miles. 

"Troop  G,  5th  U.  S.  Cavalry,  pursuant  to  telegraphic  instructions 
from  Headquarters  Department  of  the  Platte,  dated  Omaha,  Nebraska, 
July  3,  1883,  is  shown  to  have  left  Fort  Washakie,  Wyoming  Territory, 
on  the  9th  day  of  August,  1883,  as  escort  to  Lieuteuant-General  Phillip 
H.  Sheridan,  IJ.  S.  A.,  on  this  expedition  to  Yellowstone  National  Park. 
It  arrived  at  Mammoth  Hot  Springs  August  31,  1883,  distance  marched 
327  miles,  and  it  left  Mammoth  Hot  Springs  September  2,  1883,  pur- 
suant to  instructions  from  Headquarters  Military  Division  of  the  Mis- 
souri, dated  August  31,  1883,  arriving  back  at  Fort  Washakie,  Wyo- 
ming, September  18,  1883.     Distance  marched  251  miles. 

"Troop  G,  2nd  U.  S.  Cavalry,  Captain  J.  N.  Wheelan  commanding, 
proceeded  under  orders  July  18,  1883,  from  Fort  Custer,  Montana  Terri- 
tory, to  the  vicinity  of  Mammoth  Springs,  YelloAvstone  National  Park, 
to  establish  a  courier  line  between  Fort  Ellis  and  Shoshone  Lake  for 
the  purpose  of  transporting  mail,  etc.,  for  the  President.  The  troop 
arrived  at  Mammoth  Springs  August  4,  distance  marched  200  miles, 
and  established  the  line  from  Permanent  Camj),  (Mammoth  Springs) 
on  August  12,  and  on  the  departure  of  the  President,  August  31,  the 
Troop,  on  September  2,  1883,  left  Mammoth  Springs,  arrived  at  Fort 
Ellis  September  4,  1883,  and  arrived  at  Fort  Custer,  Montana  Territory, 
the  point  of  departure,  September  18,  1883.  Total  distance  marched 
during  the  month  298  miles.  Total  distance  marched  since  leaving  the 
post  July  18,  1883,  538  miles.     November  14,  1927, 

E.  A.  Brown,  Lt.  Col.  A.  G.  D.,  U.  S.  A." 

The  name  of  Captain  E.  M.  Hayes,  Troop  G,  5th  U.  S. 
Cavalry,  who  commanded  the  escort,  was  inadvertently  omitted 
by  the  War  Department  in  the  above  memorandum. 

The  principal  purpose  of  this  article  is  to  record  the  exact 
route  taken  by  the  Presidential  party,  the  number  of  each  camp 
and  its  name,  as  recorded  at  the  time  by  Frank  Jay  Haynes. 
The  map  he  carried  and  recorded  the  route  on  is  known  as  the 
map  of  Yellowstone  National  Park,  Big  Horn  Mountains  and  Ad- 
jacent Territory.   Prepared  in  Office  of  Chief  Engineer,  Military 


EXPEDITION   OF  PRESIDENT  CHESTER  A.   ARTHUR         35 

Division  Mission,  1881.  Published  by  the  Office  of  the  Chief 
of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  1881.  It  is  now  in  the  Haynes'  collec- 
tion. 

In  general   this   ronte- is -JiorthM^est   frnm    Port.   Washakip.  to 


34 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


' '  War  Department 
The  Adjutant  General's  Office 

"Washington 


office  of 


V  .J' 


f  \  '  '-^ 


-,  N'.-':- 


VAT       1 


EXPEDITION   OF   PRESIDENT  CHESTER  A.   ARTHUR         35 

Division  Mission,  1881.  Published  by  the  Office  of  the  Chief 
of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  1881.  It  is  now  in  the  Haynes'  collec- 
tion. 

In  general  this  route  is  northwest  from  Fort  Washakie  to 
Jackson  Hole,  thence  to  Upper  Geyser  Basin,  Yellowstone  Na- 
tional Park,  and  via  West  Thumb,  Grand  Canyon  and  Tower 
Fall  to  Mammoth  and  Cinnabar,  Montana  Territory-,  terminus 
of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  branch  line  (built  in  1883). 
The  map  shows  the  route  included  after  leaving  the  Park :  Liv- 
ingston, Helena,  return  to  Livingston,  thence  east  via  Billings 
and  Miles  City. 

Camp  No.  1.  Ft.  Washakie,  Wyoming  Territory,  between 
Trout  Creek  and  the  North  Fork  of  the  Little  Wind  River. 

Camp  No.  2.  Camp  Rollins,  on  Bull  Lake  Fork  of  the  Wind 
River,  about  five  miles  southAvest  of  its  confluence  with  the  Wind 
River ;  on  the  north  bank  of  Bull  Lake  Fork. 

Camp  No.  3.  Camp  Vest,  about  six  miles  west  of  Crowheart 
Butte  on  the  north  bank  of  an  unnamed  tributary  of  the  Wind 
River. 

Camp  No.  4.  Camp  Crosby,  on  the  northwest  bank  of  Din- 
widdee^  Lake,  about  two  miles  from  the  Wind  River. 

Camp  No.  5.  Camp  Stager,  on  the  southeast  bank  of  Tor- 
rey's  Creek,  southwest  of  the  larger  Torrey's  Lake,  about  four 
miles  southwest  of  the  Wind  River. 

Camp  No.  6.  Camp  Bishop,  west  of  the  Wind  River  near 
the  confluence  of  the  unnamed  creek  rising  in  Lincoln  Pass 
and  the  Wind  River.  Lincoln  Pass  is  about  fifteen  and  one- 
half  miles  directly  south  of  Togwotee  Pass  and  both  are  on  the 
Continental  Divide.  The  unnamed  creek  referred  to  joins  the 
Wind  River  about  five  miles  upstream  from  the  confluence  of 
AVarm  Spring  Creek.  This  camp  was  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
unnamed  creek  and  southwest  of  its  confluence  with  the  Wind 
River. 

Camp  No.  7.  Camp  Lincoln,  on  Lincoln  Pass,  Continental 
Divide,  about  seven  miles  northwest  of  Union  Pass  and  fifteen 
and  one-half  miles  south  of  Togwotee  Pass. 

The  point  where  the  Continental  Divide  was  crossed  has 
been  vaguely  designated  by  some  writers.  It  seems  proper  to 
quote  the  authoritative  writing  of  the  late  Daniel  W.  Green- 
burg  (Midwest  Rciuew,  Vol.  7,  No.  6,  June,  1926.  pp.  116-117)  : 

"The  party  followed  the  Wind  River  nearly  to  its  source  .  .  .  and 
then  commenced  the  ascent  over  what  is  known  as  (the)  Sheridan 
Trail  ...  It  was  thought  then  to  be  the  shortest  route  between  the 
valleys  of  the  Wind  and  the  Snake.  They  camped  at  what  is  now 
locally  known  as  Sheridan  Pass;   however,  the   camp   was  named   'Camp 

1  Dinwoodv. 


LIST  of  Ca-'IPS 
Shown  on  original  map  Dv  F.Jay  Haynaa, 
''I  official  photoETBDher  of  ithe  expedition  of 
President  Cheater  A.  Arthur  in  1883 

?ort  Washakia,  Wyoming,  1 

Camp  Rollins,  T,  Bull  Lake  Forki-Vlnd  River 

Camp  Vest,  3,  Sm.  W.  of  Crowh^art  Butte 

Camp  Crosby,  4,  N.Shor*'  Dinwiddee  Lake 

Camp  Stager,  5,  Torrey's  Lakffs 

Camp  Bishop,  6,  Wind  Riv,  17^  M,NW  of  above 

Camx)  Isham,  8,  Ores  Ventre  River 
Camp  Arthur  9,  Gros  Vontr*  t^ivar 
Camp  Teton  10,  a^M.  3'V  of  Upper  Gros  Ventre 

Butta. 
Camp  Hampton  11,  lOM.  3a3t  of  Leigha  Lake 
Camp  gt-rong  IS,  On  Snake  Riv.  2M.  3.  of  Park 
Camp  Logan  13,  On  N.  Shora  of  Lewis  Lake 
Camp  Upper  Baain  14,  near  Old  Faithful  Geys. 
Camp  Saokat  15,  On  West  Thumb  Bay  of  '"'ell  l. 
Gamp  Campbell  16,  West  shore  at  Lake  outlpt 
,i  Camp  Allison  17,  West  of  Great  Falls  of  Y»H. 
Camp  Cameron  18,  N.W.  of  Tower  Falls, 

19,  at  Hpadquartei s,)tommoth. 
The  route  is  d'^awn  in  covering  th'  abov=  route, 
th^noa  to  Livingston,  Helena, then  Livinfston, 
"illings,  and  files  City.  The  map  used,  aid  here 
raoroduced  in  part  bears  this  inscription 
Ysllowstona  National  Park.  Big  Horn  "ountatna 
~nd  Adjacent  Territory  Pr^parod  in  Offiof  o' 
CHIEF  rooiOTiS!.  ^'il.  Div   MOo  1^33. 


^4J 


4 — .?■> 
\ 


}> 


^1^ 


Z^-^: 


r^  V^. 


J—. 


T^ 


ii^i3ii^S^.^m 


'JO  SO 


Til  8ll  H" 


36 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


CAMP  BISHOP  ON  THE  WIND  MVEE 

Packtrain  trip  of  President  Chester  A.  Arthur  in  1883 


Robert  Lincoln, '  and  the  pass  was  named  by  President  Arthur  as 
'Robert  Lincoln  Pass,'  and  the  name  should  have  been  retained,  but 
probably  was  never  officially  announced." 

On  the  U.  S.  G.  S.  Quandrangle  Sheet  "Mt.  Leidy"  sur- 
veyed in  1899,  edition  of  1911,  the  Sheridan  Trail  crosses  the 
Continental  Divide  nine  and  one-fourth  miles  southeast  of 
Togwotee  Pass,  and  four  miles  south  of  Lava  Mountain  (meas- 
urements given  in  this  list  of  camps  are  scaled  on  the  IT.  S. 
Army  map  of  1881). 

Camp  No.  8.  Camp  Isham,  about  eighteen  miles  west  of 
Lincoln  Pass,  on  the  south  bank  of  Gros  Ventre  River,  nearly 
thirteen  miles  southeast  of  Mt.  Leidy. 

Camp  No.  9.  Camp  Arthur,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Gros 
Ventre  River,  sixteen  miles  (airline)  from  the  confluence  of 
that  river  with  the  Snake  River. 

Camp  No.  10.  Camp  Teton,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Gros 
Ventre  River,  nearly  eight  miles  from  its  confluence  with  the 
Snake  River,  and  nearly  fifteen  miles  directly  south  of  the  south 
shore  of  Jackson  Lake. 


EXPEDITION   OF  PRESIDENT   CHESTER   A.   ARTHUR  37 

Camp  No.  11.  Camp  Hampton,  about  one  and  one-half 
miles  south  of  the  confluence  of  the  Buffalo  Fork  and  the  Snake 
River,  on  the  east  bank  of  Snake  River,  seven  and  one-half 
miles  due  east  of  the  southeast  corner  of  Jackson  Lake. 

Camp  No.  12.  Camp  Strong,  about  two  miles  south  of  the 
south  boundary  of  Yellowstone  National  Park  and  a  mile  west 
of  the  Snake  River. 

Camp  No.  13.  Camp  Logan,  on  the  northeast  shore  of 
Lewis  Lake,  fifteen  miles  (airline)  southeast  of  Upper  Geyser 
Basin.  The  route  from  Camp  Strong  was  west  of  the  Lewis 
River  to  a  point  below  Lewis  Falls,  thence  along  the  east  shore 
of  Lewis  Lake. 

Camp  No.  14.  Camp  Upper  Geyser  (Basin),  on  the  bench 
about  one-fourth  mile  west  of  Old  Faithful  Geyser  near  the 
center  of  the  present  hotel.  From  Camp  Logan  the  route  was 
along  the  east  shore  of  Shoshone  Lake,  through  Norris  Pass  to 
Spring  Creek,  to  the  Firehole  River  and  Upper  Geyser  Basin. 

Camp  No.  15.  Camp  Sacket,  at  West  Thumb  Bay  of  Yel- 
lowstone Lake.  Returning  from  Upper  Geyser  Basin  the  party 
traveled  up  Spring  Creek  to  Isa  Lake,  thence  eastward  to  Yel- 
lowstone Lake  at  West  Thumb  Bay. 

Camp  No.  16.  Camp  Campbell,  near  the  nortliAvest  shore 
of  Yellowstone  Lake  about  where  Lake  Hotel  is  now  situated, 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  from  the  outlet. 

Camp  No.  17.  Camp  Allison,  west  of  the  Lower  Falls  and 
south  of  Cascade  Creek,  near  the  canyon  rim.  From  Camp 
Campbell  the  route  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  Yellowstone 
River. 

Camp  No.  18.  Camp  Cameron,  one  and  one-half  miles  north- 
west of  Tower  Fall,  probably  on  Lost  Creek  where  Camp  Roose- 
velt is  now  situated.  The  route  from  Camp  Allison  was  through 
Dunraven  Pass,  along  the  Indian  trail  to  the  crossing  of  Tower 
Creek,  thence  above  Overhanging  Cliff  and  down  to  Junction 
Valley. 

Camp  No.  19.  Camp  at  Park  Headquarters  (Permanent 
Camp).  The  route  from  Camp  Cameron  was  across  Pleasant 
Valley,  through  the  Gut.  across  Blacktail  Creek  and  down  Lava 
Creek  at  the  base  of  Mt.  Everts  to  Mammoth.  Park  Head- 
quarters. 

Hiram  Martin  Chittenden,  Captain,  Corps  of  Engineers, 
United  States  Army,  tells  of  this  expedition  in  his  The  Yclloic- 
stonc  National  Park  (1895)  as  follows: 

"The  most  elaborate  e.xpedition  that  ever  passed  through  this 
region  took  place  in  August,  1883.  It  included  among  its  members  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  Lieuteuant- 
General  of  the  Army,  a  United  States  Senator,  and  several  other  dis- 
tinguished  officers    and    civilians.      The    interesting   part    of    the    journt>y 


38  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

lay  between  Fort  Washakie,  Wyo.,  and  the  Northern  Pacific  Eailroad  at 
Cinnabar,  Mont.  The  party  traveled  entirely  on  horseback,  accom- 
panied by  one  of  the  most  complete  pack  trains  ever  organized  in  this 
or  any  other  country,  and  escorted  by  a  full  troop  of  cavalry.  Cour- 
iers were  stationed  every  twenty  miles  with  fresh  relays,  and  by  this 
nj.eans  communication  was  daily  had  with  the  outside  world.  The 
whole  distance  traveled  was  350  miles,  through  some  of  the  wildest, 
most  rugged,  and  least  settled  portions  of  the  west.  No  accident  or 
drawback  occurred  to  mar  the  pleasure  of  the  expedition.  The  great 
pastime  en  route  was  trout  fishing-,  in  which  the  President  and  Senator 
Vest  were  acknowledged  leaders.  The  phenomenal  'catches'  of  these 
distinguished  sportsmen  might  pass  into  history  as  typical  'fish 
stories,'  were  they  not  vouched  for  by  the  sober  record  of  official  dis- 
patches, and  the  unerring  evidence  of  photographer  Haynes '  camera. 
The  elaborate  equipment  of  this  expedition,  the  eminent  character  of 
its  personnel,  and  the  evident  responsibility  resting  upon  those  who  con- 
ducted it,  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention  at  the  time,  and  gave  it  a 
prominent  place  in  the  annals  of  Western  Wyoming. ' ' 


THE  FORTY-FOURTH  STAR 

By  Harriet  Slack 

What  is  it  I  see  in  the  Night's  early  gioaming, 

Shining  afar  from  the  glorious  West  ? 
'Tis  the  star  forty-four,  the  star  of  Wyoming, 

That  shines  on  her  people,  so  happy  and  blest. 

Yes,  happy  and  blest  are  the  people  to-night, 

With  a  future  before  them  both  dazzling  and  bright, 

And  the  people  all  shout,  with  no  doubt  of  her  fate, 
Hurrah  for  Wyoming !  the  forty-fourth  State. 


COLONIZATION  OF  THE  BIG  HORN  BASIN 
BY  THE  MORMONS 

By  Eliza  R.  Lythgoe" 

The  Mormon  people  have  always  been  colonizers,  and  the 
knowledge  of  hardships  that  lay  in  store  for  them  did  not  deter 
their  steadfastness  of  purpose.  Driven  from  New  York  and 
gradually  westward  between  the  years  of  1830  and  1841  by  a 
series  of  persecutions,  the  Mormons  at  last  built  the  beautiful 
city  of  Nauvoo,  Illinois,^  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
River.  Here  they  remained  until  driven  farther  west  by  mob 
violence  in  1845. 

The  years  1846  and  1847  saw  the  great  JMormon  trek  from 
the  Mississippi  River  to  the  Valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  It 
was  on  this  momentous  journey,  in  1847,  that  my  father,  Volney 
King,  was  born. 

In  1851  my  grandparents  proceeded  to  a  location  south  of 
Salt  Lake  City  which  later  became  the  site  of  Fillmore  City, 
Utah,  also  known  as  Pavaunt  Valley,  where  they  assisted  in 
the  building  of  a  fort  for  protection  from  the  Lidians.  Homes 
were  built,  and  by  irrigating  the  land,  crops  were  raised.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1941  I  visited  the  site  of  this  old  fort  where 
a  historical  marker  now  stands  on  the  spot  which  was  once 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  fort. 

It  has  always  been  my  belief  that  the  blood  of  these  an- 
cestors in  my  veins  was  one  of  the  factors  that  helped  me  enjoy 
the  colonizing  in  Wyoming. 


^BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— On  October  3,  1875.  in  Fillmore  City, 
Utah,  a  daughter,  Eliza  E.  Lvthgoe,  was  born  to  Eliza  Syrett  King  and 
Volney  King.  As  a  child  her  father  was  her  first  teacher,  and  from  him 
she  learned  the  Morse  Code.  At  sixteen  she  attended  the  Brigham  Young 
University,  taking  a  Normal  Course  there.  For  several  years  she  taught 
school  in  Utah,  meeting  John  F.  Black  to  whom  she  was  married  on  Janu- 
ary 6,  1S96.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black  resided  at  Antimony,  I'tah,  until  1S>00 
when,  with  their  two  children,  they  nugrated  to  the  Big  Horn  Basin  to 
make  their  home. 

Mr.  Jolui  Black  passe<l  away  in  IJIl.'i,  leaving  his  widow  and  rive  chil- 
dren: Parnell  of  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah;  Clinton  M.  of  Basin,  Wyoming; 
A'olney  E.  of  Laramie,  Wyoming;  Melba  Black  Xebeker  of  Grroen  River, 
Wyoming;  and  John  K.  of  Biverton,  Wyoming. 

On  May  1,  1916,  Mrs.  Black  was  married  to  Thomas  Lythgoe.  and  to 
this  marriage  were  born  W^ilson  K.  Lythgoe  of  Laramie  and  Irene  Lythgoe 
Belue  of  Cowley,  Wyoming.  Mrs.  L^^-thgoe  has  maintaineil  continuous  resi- 
dence at  Cowley  since  her  arrival  there  in   1900. 

1.  See  "The  History  and  Journal  of  the  Life  and  Travels  of  Jesse 
W.  Crosby,"  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  July,  19;«1. 


40  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

First  Steps  Toward  Colonization  of  Basin 
Taken  by  Church 

A  small  body  of  Mormons  drifted  into  the  Big  Horn  Basin 
about  1897  and  settled  at  Burlington,  Wyoming.  Stories  of  the 
country  were  written  back  to  friends  in  Utah.  The  knowledge 
that  land  and  water  were  available  caused  the  leaders  of  the 
Mormon  Church  to  investigate. 

Colonel  Cody  was  an  admirer  of  Brigham  Young  and  often 
praised  his  ability  as  a  colonizer.  He  said,  "If  the  Mormons 
will  take  over  this  Cincinnati  Canal-  proposition,  I  am  sure  it 
will  succeed  as  I  know  they  will  work  together  on  it.  I  can  see 
in  my  mind  fields  of  alfalfa  and  grain  and  homes  for  many 
people  here." 

Apostle  A.  0.  Woodruff  and  fourteen  other  prominent  men 
were  sent  in  February,  1900,  to  look  over  the  country,  not  only 
the  land  that  the  Cincinnati  Canal  would  cover,  but  the  level 
land  surrounding  it. 

Colonel  Cody  came  down  and  met  them  near  the  place 
where  the  Sidon  Canal  now  heads.  He  spent  a  pleasant  eve- 
ning with  them,  recounting  many  of  his  experiences. 

An  application  to  divert,  appropriate,  and  use  the  waters 
of  the  Shoshone  River  had  been  made  by  Colonel  Cody  and  Nate 
Salisbury,  their  application  being  approved  by  the  State- Engi- 
neer on  May  22,  1899.  This  application  is  now  recorded  in  the 
Official  Record  of  the  State  Engineer  of  Wyoming,  Volume  9, 
page  478.  On  April  24,  1900,  Colonel  Cody  and  Nate  Salisbury 
signed  a  relinquishment  of  these  rights  to  the  state  of  Wyo- 
ming, permitting  the  state  to  assign  the  land  and  water  rights 
to  another  party.  The  Church,  having  filed  an  application  for 
the  construction  of  a  canal  on  January  11,  1900,  subsequently 
received  the  rights  Colonel  Cody  had  held. 

A  laughable  item  appeared  at  that  time  in  a  newspaper 
published  at  Bridger,  Montana.  It  said,  "Thirteen  of  the  Mor- 
mon Twelve  Apostles^  took  the  train  for  Utah  here  today." 

While  the  delegation  was  at  Bridger,  Montana,  a  hardware 
dealer  by  the  name  of  Haskins  was  consulted  in  regard  to  the 
purchase  of  plows,  scrapers,  crow  bars,  picks,  and  shovels. 
Though  these  men  were  entire  strangers  to  Mr.  Haskins,  he 
agreed  to  secure  the  required  tools  for  them. 


2.  Several  years  prior  to  1898,  Cincinnati  interests,  represented  by 
(}.  H.  King  and  H.  L.  Earley,  had  submitted  proposals  for  a  canal  along 
the  north  side  of  the  Shoshone  Eiver,  and  had  been  awarded  a  contract  for 
its  construction.  But  delay  in  initiating  operation  had  smothered  faith  in 
the  Cincinnati  Company,  and  in  1898  the  state  Board  of  Land  Commission- 
ers requested  a  relinquishment. — Lindsay,   The  Big  Horn  Basin,  page  192, 

3.  The  Stake  Presidency  of  the  IVIormon  Church  consists  of  the  x:)resi- 
dent,  two  counselors,  and  a  High  Council  of  Twelve  Apostles. 


COLONIZATION  OF  BIG  HORN  BASIN  41 

A  favorable  report  of  the  proposition  in  Wyoming  was 
made  to  the  Presidency  of  the  Mormon  Church,  and  the  organi- 
zation for  colonizing  the  new  country  was  started.  Soon  after 
this  the  canal  was  re-surveyed,  and  preparation  to  go  to  work 
immediately  v/as  made. 

Journey  From  Utah  to  the  Basin 

Apostle  A.  0.  Woodruff  was  put  in  charge  of  the  Colony 
to  build  this  canal.  Staunch  experienced  men  like  Byron  Ses- 
sions, a  frontiersman,  Charles  A.  Welch,  an  expert  accountant, 
and  other  stalwart  men  of  experience  were  sent  here  to  see 
about  the  work.  Young  men  of  strength  and  courage  who  were 
seeking  land  and  wanted  to  grow  up  Avith  a  new  country  came, 
accompanied  by  their  wives  and  children.  I  don't  believe  any 
of  them  ever  thought  of  going  back  or  of  failure.  They  came 
in  covered  wagons  containing  food,  dishes,  beds,  clothing — 
just  necessities;  some  had  two  wagons.  One  woman  laughingly 
told  how  they  started  out  with  dressers,  cupboards,  beds,  etc., 
but  before  going  halfway  had  been  obliged  to  unload  them  bj' 
the  wayside  as  the  load  was  too  heavy. 

Since  my  three  weeks  old  baby  and  1  were  unable  to  leave 
Salt  Lake  City  for  Wyoming  when  my  husband  and  others  left 
in  May,  1900,  it  necessitated  our  making  the  trip  by  train  the 
following  July,  and  since  I  want  to  present  the  experiences  of 
a  woman  who  did  make  the  journey  by  team,  I  secured  an  ac- 
count of  such  a  trip  from  my  friend,  Sarah  J.  Partridge,  who, 
with  three  families,  began  her  overland  journey  to  the  Big 
Horn  Basin  April  3,  1900.  Mrs.  Partridge  said,  "Everyone  go- 
ing to  tlie  Basin  started  out  on  tlie  road  to  Ham's  Fork-^  where 
they  all  were  to  meet." 

In  her  party  were  the  W.  C.  Partridge.  Edward  Partridge, 
and  Ben  Salsburry  families.  She  continued,  "Our  eklest  boy, 
Clayton,  walked  and  drove  the  milk  cows.  Realizing  we  were 
going  to  an  unsettled  country,  we  loaded  our  two  wagons  with 
everything  we  could  not  sell,  even  taking  two  or  tliree  hundred 
pounds  of  lead.  Our  wagons  and  teams  were  overloaded.  Now, 
after  forty  years  when  I  think  back  how  we  strewed  the  road 
with  chickens,  washers,  etc.,  I  sometimes  laugli  and  souu^times 
cry. 

"Our  first  night  out  was  in  Provo  Canyon.  Our  next  stop 
of  interest  was  at  Randolph,  Utah.  JMr.  Sessiinis,  seeing  we  were 
overloaded,  told  us  to  go  on  and  they  would  catch  us,  Init  I 
have  always  thought  he  didn't  Avant  to  botlier  with  us. 

"Apostle  Woodruff  was  waiting  for  tlie  colonists  at  Ham's 


4.     Hani's  Fork  was  a  small  sottloinont  near  the  pivsout  sito  of  Kem- 
increr,  Wyomini>'. 


42  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Fork.  Some  waited  days  for  others  to  come  up,  as  no  one  was 
allowed  to  go  alone.  We  were  organized  in  companies  of  ten 
or  twelve  wagons.  Each  company  was  given  a  map  of  the  route 
and  started  out,  following  the  trail  from  Ham's  Fork  to  Slate 
Creek,  where  the  GTreen  River  was  ferried^ ;  then  on  to  the  Big 
Sandy  River  and  the  Sweetwater  by  way  of  South  Pass,  through 
the  Owl  Creek  Mountains  to  Meeteetse,  Cody,  and  down  the 
Shoshone  to  the  place  where  the  canal  was  to  be  taken  from  the 
river.  We  were  eight  weeks  on  the  road  from  Provo,  Utah,  to 
the  Big  Horn  Basin  in  Wyoming,  arriving  at  the  head  of  the 
canal  May  29,  1900. 

^'One  reason  why  the  start  had  been  made  early  in  the 
spring  was  to  get  across  the  rivers  before  high  water,  but  you 
can  still  hear  a  group  of  our  Pioneers  talk  of  the  time  they 
forded  this  river  or  that,  and  how  they  were  almost  washed 
downstream  at  one  river  or  another.  I'll  never  forget  the  eve- 
ning we  forded  Big  Wind  River.  The  water  was  above  the  front 
wheels  of  the  wagon.  The  men  led  the  horses  through  the  stream 
with  water  above  their  waists.  If  ever  the  Lord  helped  us  on  our 
journey,  He  helped  us  then. 

Travelers  Experience  Blizzard 

''A  day's  journey  from  Ham's  Fork  a  blizzard  swept  over 
the  company.  The  wagons  were  driven  into  what  shelter  could 
be  found,  the  horses  tied  to  the  wagons  and  given  a  small  feed 
of  oats.  Not  much  sleep  was  had  by  anyone  as  the  horses 
gnawed  the  wagon  boxes  or  any  other  wood  not  covered  by 
iron.  How  the  wind  howled  and  shook  the  wagons  in  which 
everyone  tried  to  sleep !  The  storm  lasted  three  days,  and  when 
it  abated  nearly  two  feet  of  snow  covered  the  ground. 

''The  morning  after  the  blizzard  the  teams  had  to  move 
on  so  that  feed  might  be  found  in  order  to  save  the  animals. 
Oats  were  obtained  at  Opal,  Wyoming,  which,  with  the  salt 
sage  and  dry  grass,  kept  the  animals  alive. 

"It  was  during  the  blizzard  that  the  little  girl  of  John 
Dickson  died.  Kind  friends  did  everything  they  could  to  save 
the  child,  but  one  convulsion  after  another  finally  ended  the 
little  life.  The  body  was  taken  back  to  Morgan,  Utah,  the  for- 
mer home  of  the  Dicksons,  where  it  was  buried. 

Cattle  Driven  To  New  Home 

"Nearly  everyone  had  a  cow  or  two  and  the  cattle  were 
all  in  one  herd,  some  two  hundred  of  them,  mostly  milk  cows, 
driven  by  a  man  assisted  by  older  boys.  One  day  the. herd  be- 


5.     Above  the  confluence  of  the  Green  and  Big  Sandy  Elvers. 


COLONIZATION  OP  BIG  HORN  BASIN  43 

came  lost  from  the  Avagon  train  and  didn't  get  into  camp  at 
night.  The  men,  urged  on  by  frantic  mothers,  went  at  daylight 
and  located  the  herd  in  a  safely  sheltered  ravine  some  distance 
from  the  road.  All  the  boys  were  safe  but  hungry. 

"Now,  while  on  this  subject  of  the  cattle  herd,  Mr.  North 
who  was  in  charge  of  them  brought  machinery  along  for  a 
dairy — a  huge  churn  and  cheese  molds,  etc.  This  machinery 
later  fell  to  pieces  on  one  of  the  Cowley  lots,  as  milk  and  cream 
were  not  produced  in  quantities  for  their  use.  In  June  the  cattle 
arrived  at  the  head  of  the  canal,  Avere  turned  over  to  tlie  own- 
ers, and  only  one  head  Avas  missing." 

Establishment  of  Camps 

Other  companies  continued  to  come  over  the  same  route. 
Camps  were  established  and  sources  of  supplies  Avere  sought 
out.  Many  pictures  of  those  days  came  to  my  mind.  Tents  were 
lined  up  and  doAvn  along  the  river,  and  hoAV  plainly  everyone 
could  be  heard !  In  the  evenings  the  horses  Avere  taken  out 
across  the  riA'er  on  the  hills  and  herded,  Avhile  people  gathered 
in  groups  here  and  there,  talldng  OA'er  conditions,  playing  a 
guitar,  singing  songs  that  Avere  popular  then,  or  hymns. 

One  menace  Avas  the  rattlesnake;  a  Avoman  found  one  in 
her  tent  Avhich  made  us  all  afraid.  I  Avondered  if  they  could 
climb  wheels,  so  after  this,  in  place  of  sleeping  in  the  tent.  Ave 
slept  in  the  Avagon.  But  as  thick  as  they  seemed  I  ncA'er  remem- 
ber anyone  being  bitten  by  one. 

As  stated  before  arrangements  had  lieen  made  to  secure 
tools  from  Mr.  Haskins,  the  hardAvare  dealer  at  Bridger.  Mon- 
tana. An  order  for  the  necessary  tools  Avas  sent  to  him  by  Mr. 
C.  A.  Welch  Avho  collected  the  cash,  Avent  to  Bridger,  and  paid 
for  them.  Freight  Avagons  were  sent  to  Bridger  for  the  tools, 
grain,  food,  and  other  necessities. 

I  Avould  like  to  paint  a  picture  of  the  freight  Avagon  of 
this  time.  Tavo  or  three  Avagons  Avere  hitched  togetlier.  eight  oi- 
ten  horses  hitched  to  them.  Over  the  rocks  and  chucks  they 
Avent,  up  hill  and  doAvn,  a  man  SAvearing  and  yelling  at  the 
horses.  Hoav  far  they  Avent,  I  don't  knoAV,  but  they  supplied  the 
country  Avith  food,  clothes,  tools,  everything !  Fifteen  or  twenty 
miles  a  day  Avas  their  speed. 

Construction  of  Sidon  Canal  Started 

There  Avere  about  tAvo  hundred  people  noAv  at  the  head  of 
the  canal.  Elder  Franklin  S.  Richards,  attorney  for  the  Churcli. 
drcAV  up  articles  of  incorporation  of  the  l^ig  Horn  Basin  Coloni- 


44  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

zation  Company.  The  canal  on  which  they  were  to  work  was  to 
be  called  the  Sidon  Canal. 

Then  came  the  most  important  day  of  all,  May  28,  1900. 
Nearly  everyone  in  camp  went  to  the  river,  and  all  joined  in 
singing  ''Come,  Come,  Ye  Saints."^ 

Apostle  Woodruff  outlined  the  task  before  them.  "The 
canal  will  be  about  thirty-seven  miles  long.  It  must  be  large 
enough  to  carry  water  to  irrigate  between  twelve  and  fifteen 
thousand  acres.  It  will  take  a  united  effort  to  perform  this  gi- 
gantic task,  for  Ve  are  few  in  number.  I  urge  you  to  pay  your 
tithes  and  offerings.  Keep  the  Sabbath  Day.  Do  not  profane  the 
name  of  duty.  Be  honest  with  all  men,  and  if  you  do  all  these 
things  this  will  be  a  land  of  Zion  to  you  and  your  children  and 
children's  children  throughout  the  generations  to  come." 

Apostle  Woodruff  then  held  the  plow ;  Byron  Sessions 
drove  the  team  and  plowed  a  furrow.  The  canal  was  started ! 
Then  teams  and  men  went  to  the  canal  to  work,  boys  laughing, 
harnesses  rattling,  women  with  babies  in  their  arms  seeing  them 
off. 

Wages  to  be  paid  for  men  and  teams  were  set  at  four 
dollars  and  for  single  hands  two  dollars  twenty-five  cents.  Six 
dollars  per  acre  was  to  be  charged  for  the  land,  two  dollars  of 
this  to  be  paid  in  cash  at  the  time  the  amount  of  land  was 
signed  for,  the  rest  in  work. 

"May  29,  1900:  The  people  in  camp  were  called  together 
around  a  campfire  this  morning.  The  horses  had  been  brought 
in  from  the  hills,  been  fed  oats ;  breakfast  over,  all  assembled. 
A  hymn  was  sung.  President  Sessions  gave  instructions  about 
the  work.  Prayer  was  offered  and  all  were  off  to  work  on  the 
canal.  "'^  This  order  of  procedure  went  on  day  after  day. 

Some  time  later  a  new  note  crept  into  the  morning  and 
evening  prayers.  Often  when  the  president  prayed,  he  asked  for 
a  way  to  be  opened  up  that  food  and  shelter  might  be  obtained 
by  them  for  the  coming  winter.  I  believe  it  increased  every  day, 
and  a  question  began  to  form  in  my  mind  as  to  whether  it  was 
a  serious  problem.  I  knew  they  had  very  little  money,  but  then 
that  youthful  spirit  in  all  of  us  believed  some  way  had  always 
been  provided  and  always  would  be. 


6.  Song   composed   by   William    Clayton    at    the    request    of    Brigham 
Young  (luring  the  Mormon  migi-ation  in  1847 : 

"Come,  come,  ye  Saints!     No  toil  nor  labor  fear, 

But  with  joy  wend  your  way; 

Though  hard  to  you  this  journey  may  appear, 

Grace  shall  be  as  your  day. 

'Tis  better  far  for  us  to  strive 

Our  useless  cares  from  us  to  drive 

Do  this  and  joy  your  hearts  will  swell, 

All  is  well !    All  is  well !  " 

7.  Quoted  from  Church  records. 


COLONIZATION  OF  BIG  HORN  BASIN  45 

Then  a  fast  and  prayer  were  observed.  In  later  years  one 
of  my  strongest  testimonies  was  the  answer  to  that  prayer 
meeting. 

Railroad  Construction  Undertaken 

Some  strange  men  were  observed  in  camp  one  day.  The 
rumor  spread  that  they  were  railroad  men  and  had  come  to  see 
if  the  people  there  did  not  want  to  take  some  of  the  road  grad- 
ing to  do.  Yes,  this  meant  food,  means  for  living,  feed  for 
horses. 

.  Now  when  the  train  goes  by  it  seems  to  me  that  the  rail- 
road was  only  built  at  that  time  to  help  accomplish  the  building 
of  the  canal.  Half  the  colony  remained  on  the  canal  and  half 
on  the  railroad,  each  group  getting  half  money  and  half  ditch 
stock  for  their  pay. 

Early  Hardships  in  the  Basin 

These  people  were  in  an  nnknown  country,  their  tents  and 
wagons  their  only  homes ;  no  doctors  or  hospitals.  Years  Avould 
pass  before  they  could  have  any  of  these  comforts.  But  the 
plans  were  made,  the  canal  was  started,  and  after  this  it  was 
"Ditch,  ditch." 

Not  long  ago  I  visited  my  mother  and  she  presented  me 
with  a  letter  I  had  Avritten  to  her  in  August,  1900.  It  shows  a 
little  of  our  railroad  days.  Here  is  some  of  it. 

"Dear  Mother:  We  have  moved  again  and  are  now  on  what 
we  call  Pole  Cat.  It  is  not  far  from  Frannie.*^  But  oh  this  ter- 
rible water  made  nearly  every  one  sick  at  first.  So  hard  the 
soap  curdles,  and  how  awful  the  clothes  look.  But  one  thing  I 
wanted  to  tell  you  of.  You  know  the  glass  wash  board  the  girls 
gave  me  before  I  left  home?  Well,  whenever  we  have  nioved 
the  last  thing  to  go  on  to]i  of  the  load  was  the  straw  bed.  In  it 
I  put  my  wash  board.  Today,  as  we  were  ready  to  leave,  elohn-' 
thought  of  a  pair  of  doubletrees  he  had  left  off  the  load.  He 
went  and  got  them  and  before  I  could  think  he  threw  them  on 
the  bed  tick  and  my  wash  board  was  broken  in  a  dozen  piec;^s. 
Then  becanse  I  cried  he  thinks  eveiy  time  we  move  everytliing 
goes  wrong.  The  wind  blew  terrible  last  night,  and  we  all  had 
a  time  finding  our  stove  pipes.  Could  hardly  tell  which  was 
which.  We  only  had  canned  tomatoes  for  supper,  on  gritty 
plates  at  that.  My  clock  won't  run  any  more  it  is  so  full  of 
sand." 


S.  See  "  Reiiiiniseeiu'es  of  an  Early  t>ay  Railroail  Civil  Enjjinoer  iu 
Nortlnvestern  Wyoming,"  by  -lohii  B.  Fergu.soii,  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING, 
January,  1941. 

9.     Husband  of  author. 


46  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

The  dust  was  deep  and  dust  storms  were  common.  There 
were  no  trees  nor  fences  and  it  was  nothing  unusual  for  settlers 
to  find  tubs,  buckets  and  water  barrels  blocks  from  home. 

The  Founding'  of  Cowley  and  Byron 

The  land  was  surveyed  and  two  towns  laid  out.  Byron  near 
the  head  of  the  canal,  named  in  honor  of  our  faithful  leader, 
Byron  Sessions,  and  Cowley  on  Sage  Creek  near  the  foot  of  the 
Pryor  Mountains.  Here  is  an  idea  how  Cowley  Avas  established. 

The  town  on  the  present  site  was  laid  out  in  the  early  fall 
of  1900,  Joseph  Neville  being  one  of  the  main  ones  to  survey 
the  land  and  lay  it  out  into  lots.  All  of  us  who  Avere  to  reside 
here  were  anxious  to  know  just  Avhere  we  were  to  live,  who 
our  neighbors  were  to  be,  etc.  As  soon  as  all  lots  Avere  staked 
out  and  numbered,  a  draAving  for  these  lots  Avas  planned.  We 
had  all  been  in  camps  both  at  the  head  of  the  canal  and  on  the 
railroad  and  had  shared  so  many  experiences  Ave  had  become 
ffist  friends.  For  instance,  the  Avriter  had  taken  her  tAvo  small 
children  and  gone  to  church  in  the  boAvery  at  the  head  of  the 
canal.  The  children  loA^ecl  to  get  right  doAvn  and  play  in  the 
sand.  Tavo  other  small  boys  and  their  mother  Avere  there  and 
soon  there  Avere  four  boys  playing  in  the  sand  and  Iavo  mothers 
became  friends  for  life.  The  four  boys  were  Woodruff  and  Riley 
GAvynn  and  Parnell  and  Clinton  Black. 

A  number  representing  a  lot  Avas  put  in  a  hat.  Those  Avho 
had  Avorked  up  or  paid  for  a  certain  amount  of  land  or  ditch 
stock  Avere  alloAved  to  draAv  a  number.  As  each  stepped  up  and 
dreAv  his  number,  he  became  the  oAvner  of  a  lot  on  which  to 
build  his  home.  (Mine,  for  instance,  Avas  lot  3,  block  44.)  Charles 
A.  Welch  had  the  map  of  the  town.  He  Avas  so  concerned  about 
us,  to  see  where  Ave  Avere  and  Avhere  so  and  so  Avas  from  us,  how 
far  from  the  main  street  or  the  church  house,  etc.  Some  Avere 
elated,  some  disappointed,  but  very  fcAv  thought  of  changing. 
Going  and  looking  those  lots  over  Avas  like  going  home. 

FolloAving  the  drawing  in  September,  1900,  the  canal  Avork 
Avas  discontinued,  about  eight  miles  of  the  ditch  having  been 
completed.  Many  persons  began  hauling  logs  from  Pryor  Moun- 
tain in  Montana  with  Avhich  to  build  log  cabins  to  house  them"- 
selves  and  families  for  the  winter.  HoAvever,  most  of  the  people 
moved  their  tents  up  Sage  Creek  near  Pryor  Gap  to  Avork  on 
the  railroad.  These  families  spent  the  Avinter  in  boarded  up 
tents.  I  Avas  thankful  for  my  log  cabin. 

Our  lot  and  land  was  at  Avhat  is  noAv  CoAvley.  The  men 
Avent  up  Sage  Creek  to  the  Pryor  Mountains  over  a  poorly  made 
road  and  obtained  logs.  Two  loads  made  our  house.  There  Avas 
no  lumber  except  in  and  around  the  door  and  one  small  Avin- 


COLONIZATION  OF  BIG  HOEN  BASIN  47 

clow.  The  house  was  rwelve  ])y  fourteen  feet,  with  a  roof  of 
small  poles  nailed  to  a  ridge  pole  sloping  to  the  sides.  These 
were  daubed  wilh  mud.  My,  this  house  was  grand  to  me;  a  wall 
to  keep  off  the  storm,  a  place  where  you  could  hang  things  up, 
a  rag  rug  from  our  Utah  home  on  the  floor,  a  cupboard  on  the 
wall,  a  frame  for  the  bed  springs.  My  cook  stove  kept  it  Avarm. 
Home!  We  moved  into  it  November  1,  1900. 

The  next  morning  my  husband  went  to  work  again  on  the 
railroad.  Two  or  three  other  families  had  now  gotten  into  their 
log  rooms,  but  with  the  tightly  closed  doors  and  shaded  win- 
dows there  were  no  lights  to  be  seen  at  night.  ]\Iy  two  small 
children  went  to  bed  earl}',  and  oh,  those  long  evenings  and 
short  days ! 

Cowley  Gets  Post  Office  and  School 

One  thing  happened  then  that  made  me  less  lonely.  The 
Government  had  approved  the  name  of  Cowley  for  a  post  otifice 
for  which  the  people  had  applied.  We  had  been  getting  our 
mail,  when  we  did  get  any,  from  Cody  or  Bridger.  W.  W. 
Graham  was  appointed  Poslmaster,  but  shortly  before  his  com- 
mission came  he  left  for  the  railroad  to  work.  He  and  others 
asked  me  to  take  the  post  office  in  my  house  and  distribute  the 
mail.     It  Avas  grand  to  have  this  work. 

Have  you  ever  seen  one  of  those  early  stages  ?  Well,  every 
night  at  twelve  one  came  to  my  door,  with  four  horses  hitched 
to  it,  driven  either  by  our  friend,  Joe  Cook,  or  W.  W.  Welling. 
Mail  was  taken  off  or  sent  on ;  over  the  ruts  and  brush  it  went. 
Not  long  ago  Mr.  Welling  was  laughing  about  having  two  men 
passengers  on  one  night  who  complained  about  him  being  behind 
schedule.  He  said,  "All  right  now,  you  hold  on  and  we  will 
make  up  time.'"  Before  he  had  gone  far  they  Avere  begging 
for  mercy.  At  two  a.  m.  the  stage,  Avhich  Avent  to  the  river 
where  it  met  another  stage  from  Thermopolis,  came  back  on 
its  AA'ay  to  Bridger,  Montana. 

One  night  the  stage  brought  a  lady  to  my  house,  ^he  Avas 
trying  to  find  her  son's  family.  I  had  only  one  bed,  but  she 
lay  doAvn  and  rested  until  morning  when  we  found  her  a  Avay 
to  her  son. 

Another  lady  came  in  on  the  stage  one  night  sick,  and  the 
driver  asked  if  she  could  come  in.  She  had  on  his  big  cap  and 
coat.  She  stayed  with  us,  a  terribly  sick  Avoman.  In  the  morn- 
ing a  buggy  and  team  Avas  found  to  take  her  to  Avhere  her  hus- 
band Avas  camped.  A  few  days  later  the  doctor  said  she  had 
smallpox ! 

About  sixteen  families  remained  in  CoAvley  during  the 
winter  of  1900  and  1901.     These  families  A\-ere  desirous  of  haA'- 


48  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

ing  a  school,  but  they  had  no  books  and  no  money.  Pioneers, 
however,  usually  find  a  way  to  overcome  difficulties.  One  of  the 
men  who  had  gone  down  on  the  Shoshone  River  with  his  family 
in  order  to  look  after  his  cattle,  William  W.  Willis,  had  built 
a  log  cabin,  and  it  was  decided  that  it  would  do  for  the  school. 
The  people  hired  me  to  teach  the  school,  for  I  had  previously 
taught  in  Utah.  The  salary  was  to  be  enough  to  hire  a  girl  to 
look  after  my  two  children. 

The  school  opened  January  2,  1901,  with  twenty-four  Dupils. 
and  closed  May  1,  1901. 

Canal  and  Railroad  Completed 

One  of  the  things  that  we  missed  so  terribly  was  water. 
Remember  Cowley  was  situated  on  a  dry  bench  six  miles  from 
the  Shoshone  River,  the  nearest  water.  This  first  winter,  as  I 
have  said,  all  the  men  went  back  to  the  railroad  as  it  had  to  be 
finished  by  a  certain  date.  After  that  was  completed  everyone 
would  go  back  to  work  on  the  canal.  A  Mr.  Dickson  was  left 
at  Cowley  to  haul  water. 

The  night  the  water  from  the  river  came  to  the  town  of 
Cowley  through  the  canal,  July  14,  1902,  everyone  was  out 
serenading,  beating  tin  tubs,  cans,  and  anything  that  would 
make  a  noise.  How  we  rejoiced,  and  who  doesn't  over  the  suc- 
cessful accomplishment  of  a  task !  Yes,  and  the  successful  com- 
pletion of  a  dream ! 

Sand  and  water  must  be  brought  together  to  make  either 
productive  in  agriculture.  Our  first  gardens  were  raised  here 
in  Cowley  in  1902,  every  radish,  bean,  or  tomato  producing  a 
thrill.  How  we  irrigated  them — perhaps  too  much.  One  day 
the  ditch  rider  came  by  where  I  was  running  water,  ditches  of 
it,  by  some  squash  vines  already  yellow  from  having  too  much 
moisture.  But  could  anything  be  too  wet?  It  didn't  seem  so 
to  me.  The  ditch  rider  said,  "If  you  would  hoe  your  garden 
more  and  not  water  it  so  much,  it  would  do  better."  We  both 
laughed,  even  though  I  did  see  that  his  remark  was  not  very 
complimentary  to  my  ability  as  a  gardener. 

Twenty-seven  miles  of  railroad  were  finished  August  22, 
1901.  During  the  years  1905  through  1908  the  railroad  was 
continued  on  to  Thermopolis. 

Mr.  I.  S.  P.  Weeks  who  had  charge  of  the  railroad  work 
said  to  Mr.  Jesse  W.  Crosby,  Jr.,  "Mr.  Crosby,  the  work  you 
contracted  has  been  completed  and  we  are  more  than  pleased 
with  the  way  you  have  handled  the  job.  You  have  done  the 
best  work  with  the  least  trouble  of  anyone  who  ever  worked  for 
the  Burlington  Railroad." 

On  February  23,  1905,  the  first  train  arrived  at  the  Cow- 


COLONIZATION  OF  BIG  HORN  BASIN  49 

ley  depot.  The  people  had  earned  between  ninety  and  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars. 

Ths  First  Christmas  in  Cowley 

As  I  sit  here  this  evening',  with  these  bright  lights  all 
around,  and  then  think  of  that  first  Christmas,  it  seems  a  com- 
plete "blackout." 

About  seven  small  one-room  log  houses  made  up  this  town. 
One  coal  oil  lamp  in  each  house  gave  very  little  light.  Tf  the 
lady  of  the  house  did  not  pull  down  the  blind  too  tightly,  you 
might  have  seen  here  or  there  a  faint  gleam,  otherAvise  there 
was  dai'kness  ever\"Avhere. 

Nearly  all  the  men  were  up  near  Frannie  working  on  the 
railroad,  which  left  the  women  to  put  over  anything  they  could 
to  please  the  children,  and  to  help  keep  their  faith  in  Santa 
alive.  Stockings  were  hung  up  in  faith  and  many  a  mother 
wondered  how  on  earth  to  save  heart  breaks.  Candy  made  in 
secret,  a  small  pie,  a  dressed-over  doll,  one  of  Dad's  knives, 
and  a  few  marbles  were  all  we  had. 

One  small  store  down  near  the  river  had  kerosene,  salt 
pork,  and  some  dried  fruit.  The  storekeeper  proudly  told  the 
ladies  he  had  some  figs  in  for  Christmas.  A  package  from  the 
folks  back  home  saved  many  a  child  sorrow.  Early  Christmas 
morning  we  awoke  to  a  clear,  cold,  bright  sun  and  the  sound 
of  a  distant  neighbor's  boy  playing  a  harmonica.  That,  and 
the  determination  of  ev.eryone  not  to  grumble  or  quit,  are  the 
characteristics  of  the  settlers  that  stand  out  in  my  thoughts 
tonight  as  I  have  traveled  back  forty-one  years  ago  to  that  first 
Christmas  in  Cowley. 

N3W  Year's  Eve  Celebration 

Our  first  real  celebration,  however,  was  New  Year's  Eve, 
December  31,  1900.  That  was  a  big  red-letter  night  to  us,  for 
the  pioneers  of  Cowley  had  very,  very  few  "big  times.""  Yes, 
a  dance,  and  a  big  one,  too. 

W.  C.  Partridge,  Sr.,  liad  just  laid  the  floor  in  his  house. 
They  intended  to  have  two  rooms,  but  tliey  had  not  yet  built 
the  partition,  and  it  certainly  did  seem  large. 

The  Partridge  organ  was  placed  in  one  corner  for  ^liss 
Becky  Taggart  to  play.  George  H.  Taggart  had  his  violin  and 
Henry  R.  Tucker  the  bass  viol.  Yes,  this  was  our  orchestra, 
and,  on  coming  near,  we  thought  how  inspiring  was  the  sound 
of  their  tuning  up. 

How  we  danced  I  Quadrilles,  polkas,  waltzes  and  schot- 
tishes.      There   was   a    smile   on   evervoue's    face    and    laughter 


50  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

above  the  music.  Mrs.  Frazer  caused  much  amusement  by 
telling  funny  stories,  and  Hyrum  Cook  had  some  difficulty  in 
calling  for  the  quadrilles.  The  ladies'  skirts  were  so  long  they 
swept  up  every  particle  of  dust. 

Everyone  had  brought  his  lamp  along.  One  of  the  men 
had  made  a  trip  on  foot  the  day  before,  and  we  had  a  gallon  of 
coal  oil  from  Cook's  store  on  the  river — so  we  wouldn't  have 
to  go  home  too  early. 

The  children  went  to  sleep  on  the  benches  while  the  dancing 
continued.  We  had  the  picnic  at  midnight,  more  dancing,  and 
then  M^ent  home  through  the  piercing  cold,  lamps  in  hands, 
babies  in  arms ;  our  thrilling  time  was  over. 

I  have  been  counting  up  today.  There  are  six  besides 
myself  still  living  who  attended  that  dance  forty-one  years  ago, 
namely:  Mrs.  W.  C.  Partridge,  Fenton  Partridge,  Jane  Frazer, 
H.  R.  Tucker,  Elizabeth  Tucker,  and  Violet  Taggart  Brown. 


MYSTERIES  OF  THE  PAST 
By  Mary  Frost* 

Where  the  Shoshone  River  comes  booming  out  of  the  walls 
of  its  box  canyon  and  sweeps  around  the  curve  at  De  Maris 
Springs  to  pick  up  the  wonderful  waters  that  have  given  so 
generously  of  their  health-giving  qualities  to  generations  of 
men — here,  high  on  the  benchland  above  the  river  lies  a  group 
of  tepee  rings  in  the  land  of  peace.  Here,  before  the  white  man 
came,  the  Crows,  the  Sioux,  and  the  Blackfeet  brought  their 
sick  and  ailing  to  derive  the  benefits  of  these  God-given  waters. 
Here  they  met  as  neighbors,  not  warring  tribes,  for  to  fight  here 
would  be  a  desecration  to  the  Great  Spirit. 

My  husband  has  told  me  how  he  saw  the  rings  first,  when 
as  a  child  he  came  into  the  Basin  via  covered  wagon  some  fifty- 
eight  years  ago.  Year  after  year  they  held  his  interest.  Year 
after  year,  coming  down  to  the  springs,  he  had  speculated  on 
their  birth  and  age  but  let  it  go  at  that. 

One  day  in  the  summer  of  1920,  as  he  remembered,  he  had 
as  his  guest  Old  Pen  Coos,^  chief  of  the  Crows,  Chief  AVhite 
Man  Runs  Them,  and  Chief  Holds  the  Enemy.  He  decided  to 
take  them  to  the  spring  for  a  swim.  Stopping  at  the  tepee 
rings,  he  said  to  Pen  Coos:  "What  do  you  know  about  these?" 
with  a  sweeping  gesture  to  the  rings  on  the  bench. 

Old  Pen  Coos  answered :  ' '  These  are  the  homes  of  my 
people  who  were  sick  from  evil  spirits.  That  my  tepee."  he 
said,  pointing  to  the  biggest  ring,  "and  that,"  pointing  his 
hand  to  those  close  around,  "my  people." 

"Here  other  tribes  come  too.  Here  all  is  done  in  name 
of  Great  Spirit.  Here  come  Sioux ;  we  do  not  steal  their 
horses.     Here  come  Blackfoot,'^  leave  black  track  on  stone  and 


*BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Mary  Hughes  Frost,  boni  in  Chicago, 
Illinois,  in  February,  1881,  came  to  Wyoming  in  1909  and  has  made 
her  home  in  Cody  since  July  of  that  year. 

In  January,  1910,  she  was  married  to  Ned  W.  Frost,  a  long  time 
resident  of  that  country,  he  having  come  there  in  the  spring  of  1SS4  by 
covered  wagon.  Mr.  Frost  is  well  known  as  a  naturalist  and  wild  life 
authority. 

The  Frosts  have  three  sons:  Nedward  Malilon  Frost  of  Cody,  Lieu- 
tenant Richard  I.  Frost  of  Mancos,  Colorado,  and  Jesse  W.  Frost, 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  Chicago,  Illinois. 

1.  A-Leek-Chea-Ahoosh,  also  called  Plenty  Coos  or  Plenty  Coups.  He 
died  on  the  Pryor  Reservation,  ISIontana,  March  3,  1932,  following  a  long 
life  of  fighting  for  peace  between  his  people  ami  the  white  man. — Bhinlcts 
and  Moccasins,  by  G.  D.  Wagner  and  Dr.  W.  A.  Allen. 

2.  The  Blackfeet  Tribe  is  a  small  division  of  the  Teton  Sioux.  They 
were  given  the  name  "  Sihasapa ' '  or  ''Blackfeet''  because  they  wore  black 
moccasins. — Bureau  of  American  Ethnohuiji.  Bulletin  30,  Part  II,  Page  -568. 


52 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


Courtesy  of  Mr.  F.  J.  Hiscock* 
THE  TEPEE  RINGS 


sand.  They  come  from  country  where  forest  burn,  track  always 
black.  All  bring  sick.  All  go  in  waters  many  times,  hot  spring, 
cold  spring.  Indians  stay  long  time,  till  all  are  well.  Some- 
times leave  small  party,  no  danger.  Here  also  fine  hunting 
ground,  much  deer  and  elk." 

Asked  why  the  rings  were  built  so  high  away  from  water, 
he  said:  "Indian  no  go  in  hole  in  ground.  Indian  stay  high, 
see  all  'round.  Who  come,  who  go,  who  shoot.  Indian  carry 
water,  many  women." 

Many  of  the  village  rings  are  perfect.  There  are,  how- 
ever, some  that  have  broken  with  erosion  and  crumbled  over 
the  land  to  the  bench  or  river  below.  Something  must  be  done 
soon  to  save  them,  or  they  will  be  lost  to  our  children.  Some 
have  even  been  carried  away  to  find  a  new  home  in  eastern  rock 
gardens.  It  would  seem  that  this  is  bed  rock  of  our  own  his- 
tory, and  should  be  saved  by  law  for  posterity. 

Vandals  do  so  much  harm.  Only  last  summer  a  very 
sweet  old  lady  showed  me,  with  great  pride,  two  large  gray 
stones  from  the  tepee  rings  she  was  taking  home  to  Kansas 
for  her  rock  garden.  We  are  in  the  heart  of  the  tourist  coun- 
try, and  if  precautions  are  not  taken  in  the  near  future,  our 


*The  Historical  Department  has  received  many  fine  pictures  of  the 
Frost  Cave,  taken  in  1909,  the  DeMaris  Springs,  and  the  Tepee  Rings 
from  Mr.  F.  J.  Hiscock,  pioneer  photographer  of  Cody.  We  ^vash  to  express 
appreciation  for  his  sj^lendid  cooperation. — Ed. 


MYSTEEIES  OF  THE  PAST  53 

tepee  rings  that  have  been  used  and  left  to  us  by  a  fast  dis- 
appearing people  will  also  be  gone,  along  with  another  link 
into  the  past. 

.  Here  and  there,  close  to  some  tepee  rings,  are  piles  of 
stones  that  look  as  if  they  had  been  washed  many  times  with 
hot  water.  Knowing  that  at  one  time  this  was  an  old  geyser 
basin,  I  had  wondered.  But  the  location  near  the  tepees  puz- 
zled me.  So  I  asked  about  them,  only  to  find  that  they  were 
another  form  of  bath.  The  sick  person,  wrapped  in  blankets, 
was  put  into  an  oven  of  these  rocks  which  had  been  heated  in 
the  fires,  and  cold  water  was  then  poured  over  them,  creating 
a  steam  bath  much  like  our  own  modern  Turkish  affair.  This 
cast  out  devils  and  evil  spirits,  and,  of  course,  much  poison. 
The  person  treated  emerged  weak  but  clean,  and  with  a  little 
care  and  building  up,  was  soon  well  again. 

My  education  was  coming  along  in  leaps  and  boiuids,  so 
I  decided  to  ask  them  about  the  craters  that  are  mute  signs 
of  what  was  once  a  tremendous  gej^ser.  Looking  down  into 
them  one  knows  that  from  the  rock  and  vegetable  life,  they 
have  been  like  this  for  years  on  end. 

My  Indian  friends  had  no  knowledge  of  anything  but 
great  holes,  even  in  the  times  of  their  fathers,  for  here  they 
had  come  for  generations,  while  they  shunned  Yellowstone 
Park,  some  fifty  miles  or  more  up  the  valley.  Of  course  the 
explanation  is  simple.  The  river,  dropping  to  lower  levels, 
drained  the  waters  from  them,  for  even  now  these  hot  waters 
come  down  over  rocks  to  join  the  river  at  its  lower  levels. 

This  whole  country  is  full  of  wonders.  It  is  here  the 
geologist  finds  his  heaven  in  the  steep  sides  of  the  Shoshone 
Canyon,  revealing  in  its  stratas  the  story  of  the  earth  changes 
and  ages. 

Here  on  old  Cedar  Mountain,  almost  at  the  top,  some  thirty 
odd  years  ago,  my  husband,  while  chasing  bobcats  with  a  pack 
of  dogs,  found  a  great  cavern  that  is  known  now  as  INIannnoth 
Crystal  Cave,  but  more  commonly  Frost  Cave.^ 

Its  story  has  been  told  many  times  and  the  government 
has  taken  it  over,  nothing  being  done,  however,  largely  on  ac- 
count of  the  irrigation  project  which  has  just  completed  a 
tunnel  through  Cedar  IMountain,  connected  by  flume  to  a 
tunnel  through  Rattlesnake  jMountain  to  the  waiting  ditches 
of  the  Hart  Mountain  project. 

Before  the  opening  of  the  cave  was  a  flat  rock  or  altar  on 
which  were  traces  of  old  fires  with  some  burnt  bones  tliat  fell 
to  ash  when  distui-bed.    Mr.  Frost  has  always  felt  that  lie  had 


3.     On    September    21,    1909,    this    was    established    as    the    Shosliono 
Cavern  National  Monument. 


54  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

stumbled  on  the  sacrificial  altar  of  the  people  known  as  the 
Sheep  Eaters.^  This  is  located  more  than  two-thirds  of  the 
war  up  the  mountain,  away  from  water,  for  Cedar  Mountain 
has  no  springs  or  creeks. 

Early  this  spring  when  one  of  the  new  ditches  on  Rattle- 
snake Mountain  developed  a  smk  rather  than  a  carrier,  the 
engineer  found  that  what  was  first  supposed  to  be  a  crack  was 
in  reality  a  fissure  which  let  down  into  a  subterraneous  chamber 
in  the  bowels  of  Rattlesnake  and  which  took  tons  of  concrete 
to  close. 

It  may  well  be  that  this  is  an  outlet  to  another  cave,  and 
that  these  two  great  mountains  have  much  to  offer  with  a  bit 
of  exploring. 


4.  A  great  deal  of  controversy  exists  over  the  origin,  life  and 
passing  of  the  Sheep  Eaters.  Little  is  actually  known,  though  investi- 
gations have  been  made.     INvo  schools  of  thought  are  presented  here: 

A.  G.  Clayton  in  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  October,  1926,  pages 
277-8,  says  the  Sheep  Eaters  were  of  no  particular  race,  but  were  rene- 
gades from  various  tribes.  He  mentions  them  as  living  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bald  Mountain,  the  location  of  the  Medicine  Wheel  in  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains.  Their  name  came  from  the  fact  that  the  mountain  sheep 
was  one  of  their  principal  items  of  food,  and  because  they  had  become 
expert  in  trapping  them.  He  states  that  ' '  Several  theories  are  advanced 
as  to  the  final  disappearance  of  the  Sheep  Eater.  One  is  that  diseases  of 
various  sorts  entered  their  ranks ;  another  that  tribal  Indians  destroyed 
them;  but  it  appears  that  the  most  likely  one  is  the  coming  of  the  white 
man,  who,  in  subduing  their  enemies,  the  lowland  Indians,  made  it  pos- 
sible for  them  to  return  to  their  former  homes  and  take  up  the  life  of 
the  normal  Indian. ' ' 

General  W.  A.  Allen,  Indian  War  Veteran,  in  his  book.  The  Sheep 
Eaters,  takes  a  different  view.  He  states  that  ''The  Shoshones  seem  to 
be  a  branch  of  the  vSheep  Eaters  who  afterwards  intermarried  with  the 
Mountain  Crows,  a  tall  race  of  people  who  gave  to  the  Shoshones  a  taller 
and  better  physique."  In  1877  he  took  a  picture  of  a  squaw  believed  to 
be  the  last  of  her  race,  the  rest  having  died,  she  said,  as  a  result  of  a 
plague  some  fifty  years  before.  He  believes  the  Medicine  Wheel  was 
built  as  a  shrine  by  these  "pygmy"  Indians. 

The  report  of  Mr.  P.  W.  Norris,  Superintendent  of  Yellowstone  Park, 
1880,  to  the  Secretaiy  of.  the  Interior  places  the  Sheep  Eaters  in  the 
Yellowstone  vicinity  also.  He  wrote:  "The  feeble  and  harmless  Sheep- 
eater  Indians  were  the  aboriginal  owners  and  formerly  the  only  perma- 
nent occupants  of  tlie  Park,  and  being  somewhat  allied  to  their  Shoshone 
and  Bannock  neighbors,  these  latter  were  occasional  ramblers  therein. 
Excepting  Washakie 's  band  of  Shoshones  on  Wind  Eiver,  they  are  all 
now  united  in  the  agency  at  Ross  Fork  of  Snake  River,  in  Idaho.  Having 
faithfully  adhered  to  the  obligations  of  their  treaty  of  cession,  made  in 
Washington  during  last  winter,  as  well  as  to  their  promises  made  to  me 
at  their  agency  in  the  Ruby  Valley  in  the  spring,  no  trouble  has  arisen 
with  them  in  the  Park  during  the  past  season,  nor  is  any  looked  for  in 
the  future;  and  with  the  adoption  of  the  measures  mentioned  above, 
there  need  be  little  fear  of  Indian  depredations  hereafter  wdthin  its  con- 
fines." Executive  Documents  of  the  House  of  Representatives  for  the 
Third  Session  of  the  Forty-sixth  Congress,  1880-81. 


THE  MEDICINE  WHEEL  55 

On  this  same  bench,  some  ten  miles  down  the  river  to  the 
east,  reaching  up  into  the  eastern  sky  stand  MeC'ullouji'h  Peaks, 
the  entrance  to  a  bit  of  bad  land,  arid,  dry  and  beautiful  in 
its  lights  and  shadows.  Here  is  the  grave  of  things  that  are 
gone.  Here  in  these  pits,  great  men  have  dug  and  hunted, 
bringing  to  light  many  fossils  that  date  back  before  man. 
Here,  awaiting  time  and  money,  lie  many  pages  of  earth's  his- 
tory, waiting  as  they  have  waited  for  years  without  count.  ^'lay 
they  soon  come  into  their  own  and  be  preserved  for  posterity 

in  Wj^oming. 

• 


THE  MEDICINE  WHEEL 
By  Lorna  Kooi  Simpson* 

(Published  in  Cody  Enterprise,  March  11,  1936) 

On  the  top  of  Medicine  Mountain  at  an  altitude  of  12.000 
feet  in  the  midst  of  the  rugged  grandeur  of  the  massive  Big 
Horns,  stands  a  mystifying  circle  of  rocks  called  the  INIedicine 
Wheel.    Its  origin  and  history  seem  to  be  lost  in  obscurity. 

Not  far  distant  are  the  phenomena  of  two  giant  horse- 
shoes, one  set  firmly  about  half  way  up  a  mountain  side,  and 
the  second  near  the  top.  They  are  approximately  the  same 
size,  and  the  open  ends  of  both  face  down  the  slope.  Indian 
legend  has  it  that  the  prints  were  made  when  the  first  great 
Medicine  man  mounted  his  big  horse  and  stepped  over  the 
mountain  many,  many  moons  ago. 

The  horseshoes  are  undoubtedly  a  peculiar  natural  forma- 
tion, but  the  Medicine  Wheel  is  plainly  the  work  of  man.  How- 
ever, Indian  legend  is  even  more  vague  about  the  Wheel  than 
it  is  about  the  hoof  prints  of  the  Medicine  Man's  horse. 

The  Crow  Indians,  according  to  H.  H.  Thompson,  former 
editor  of  the  "Tepee  Book,"  called  it  the  "Big  Tepee"  or  the 
"Sun  Tepee,"  and  their  legend  is  that  the  great  Sun  God 
dropped  it  from  the  sky  and  placed  it  on  the  mountain  top 
as  a  guide  for  the  building  of  their  tepees.  The  oldest  of  the 
Crows  are  certain  it  was  there  before  they  came  to  the  coun- 
try. The  first  of  their  tribe  to  see  the  structure  was  said  to 
have  been  "Kills  with   His  Brother."     To  them  in  the  earlv 


*BIOGEAPHICAL  SKETCH— Lonia  Kooi  Simpson  is  the  daughter 
of  Mrs.  and  the  late  Mr.  Peter  Kooi  of  Slieridau.  Wyoiuinfj.  She  attended 
Castle  School  on  the  Hudson  and  the  I^niversity  of  Illinois.  A  talented 
musician,  she  composed  the  official  football  sonjj  of  the  University  of 
Wyoming,  ''Come  on,  Wyoming."  In  June,  1929,  she  was  married  to 
Mihvard  L.  Simpson  of  Cody,  Wyoming.  They  have  two  sous,  Peter  K.  and 
Alan  K. 


56  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

days,  it  was  a  hallowed  spot,  and  enemies  who  visited  it  were 
spared.  Investigation  among  the  Blackfeet  tribe  brought  only 
one  statement  of  certainty,  that  the  wheel  was  there  before 
they  came.  This  is  also  true  of  the  Shoshone  and  Arapahoe 
tribes. 

The  circle  of  stones  is  roughly  built  of  unhewed  pieces  of 
limestone  rock.  Twenty-eight  spokes  radiate  at  slightly  vary- 
ing intervals  from  a  stone  mound  or  hut  in  the  center  to  the 
rim.  Around  the  rim  are  six  smaller  mounds  placed  at  uneven 
intervals.  All  of  these  have  openings,  none  of  them  facing  the 
same  direction.  There  is  a  break  in  the  rim  on  the  east.  Surely 
such  a  formation  was  carefully  and  purposefully  planned  by 
someone  sometime.^ 

The  few  scientific  men  who  have  investigated  the  structure 
seem  to  have  offered  no  explanation  or  j^ossible  solution  of  its 
origin.  Of  the  old  timers  in  the  surrounding  country  who 
visited  the  spot  in  the  early  days,  Mr.  George  Griffin  of  Sheri- 
dan is  said  to  have  seen  the  wheel  in  1887  and  reported  that 
the  central  hut  at  that  time  was  a  small  house  large  enough  to 
admit  at  least  one  man.  When  he  visited  the  wheel  later  in 
1894,  the  hut  had  been  damaged  and  knocked  down.  It  is  said 
that  at  one  time  some  pieces  of  wood  were  found  as  a  part  of 
the  structure.  If  such  wood  was  found,  it  is  unfortunate  that 
it  was  not  saved,  as  it  might  have  been  possible  to  ascertain 
the  approximate  age  of  the  wood  and  valuable  information 
might  have  been  obtained.  A  Mr.  W.  A.  Allen  in  a  pamphlet, 
"The  Sheep  Eaters"  says  that  the  Medicine  Wheel  was  built 
by  the  Sheep  Eater  Indians,  (a  tribe  now  extinct)  as  a  sort 
of  a  shrine."   There  however  is  no  proof  offered. 

Nothing  but  supposition  can  suggest  the  origin  of  the 
wheel.  But,  knowing  as  a  fact  that  it  was  here  before -the 
Crows,  Shoshones,  Blackfeet  and  Arapahoes  ever  came  to  this 
■country,  it  cannot  seem  illogical  to  suppose  that  a  race  of  people 
antedating  those  tribes,  constructed  the  wheel.  Numerous  char- 
acteristics seem  to  link  it  up  with  prehistoric  work. 

1.  There  is  some  disagreement  as  to  the  diameter  of  the  wheel. 

2.  "  The  great  wheel,  or  shrine,  of  this  people  is  eighty  feet  across 
the  face,  and  has  twenty-eight  spokes,  representing  the  twenty-eight 
tribes  of  their  race.  At  the  center  or  hnb  there  is  a  house  of  stone, 
where  Eed  Eagle  held  the  position  of  chief  or  leader  of  all  the  tribes. 
Facing  the  northeast  was  the  house  of  the  god  of  plenty,  and  on  the 
southeast  faced  the  house  of  the  goddess  of  Tjeauty;  and  due  west  was 
the  beautifully  built  granite  cave  dedicated  to  the  sun  god.  and  from 
this  position  the  services  were  supposed  to  be  directed  by  him.  Stand- 
ing along  the  twenty-eight  spokes  were  the  worshippers,  chanting  their 
songs  of  praise  to  the  heavens,  while  their  sun  dial  on  earth  was  a  true 
cojjy  of  the  sun."  Mr.  Allen  received  much  of  his  information  from  an 
old  squaw  who  claimed  to  be  the  last  of  the  Sheep  Eaters. 


58  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Perhaps  the  break  in  the  rim  meant  that  if  it  had  been 
some  shrine  of  worship,  it  was  oriented,  as  not  only  the  chief 
ancient  temples  of  Egypt  and  Babylonia,  but  also  Stonehenge, 
the  most  famous  megalittic  rim  in  the  world,  and  the  prehistoric 
stone  circles  of  Europe  are  oriented.  According  to  Sir  Nor- 
man Lockyer,  noted  student  of  orientation,  great  annual  festi- 
vals were  observed  when  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun  would 
strike  through  the  opening  onto  the  central  altar.  Observation 
of  the  position  of  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  in  relation  to  this 
opening  and  the  central  hub  might  have  meant  development  of 
astronomical  ideas  and  the  rudiments  of  the  reck(ming  of  time. 
Along  this  line  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  according  to  an 
1895  edition  of  Field  and  Stream  which  is  undoubtedly  the 
earliest  mention  of  the  wheel  in  print,  it  is  said  that  the  Medi- 
cine Wheel  shows  a  marked  resemblance  to  the  calendar  stone 
of  Mexico.  This  stone  bears  the  engravings  of  a  circle  marked 
with  six  wedges  and  numerous  symbols  and  figures  which  have 
not  yet  been  entirely  deciphered.  The  latter  is  believed  to  be 
the  work  of  ancient  inhabitants  of  Mexico. 

Some  of  the  ruins  in  New  Mexico  that  are  quite  definitely 
acknowledged  prehistoric,  show  a  marked  resemblance  to  the 
Medicine  Wheel  formation.  There  are  stone  circles  with  nu- 
merous small  huts  around  the  rim  and  one  central  larger  hut. 
a  shrine  of  worship,  in  the  center.  According  to  the  statement 
of  travelers  recently  returned  from  there,  well  preserved  ruins 
in  the  Frijoles  canyon  and  several  other  places  have  this  forma- 
tion. The  central  hut  is  usually  larger  than  that  of  the  wheel, 
but  there  is  evidence  to  show  that  the  central  hut  of  the  wheel 
has  been  broken  down.  The  huts  along  the  rim  are  similar  to 
those  of  the  wheel  although  they  are  more  numerous. 

In  assuming  that  a  race  of  people  antedating  our  American 
Indians  was  responsible  for  the  Medicine  Wheel,  it  is  interest- 
ing to  delve  a  bit  into  ancient  history  and  see  whether  or  not  we 
might  find  giTjunds  for  such  an  assumption.  As  nearly  as 
some  modern  historians  can  estimate,  some  time  between  12,000 
and  1,000  B.  C.  Neolithic  "culture"  was  undoubtedly  spread- 
ing around  the  world,  advancing  over  land  and  driftiug  aim- 
lessly across  wide  expanses  of  water.  That  earliest  civilization 
was  probably  coming  across  the  island  stepping  stones  to  Amer- 
ica long  after  it  had  passed  on  to  other  developments  in  its 
land  of  origin.  Landing  at  about  what  is  now  Central  America 
in  favorable  climatic  conditions  it  undoubtedly  set  about 
establishing  its  own  civilization.  It  is  known  that  men  were 
using  boats  at  that  time  and  being  by  nature  daring  and  in- 
auisitive,  they  probably  started  out  onto  the  great  ocean. 
Drifting   over  warm   seas  in   their   crude   canoes,   having   rain 


THE  MEDICINE  WHEEL  59 

water  supplied  by  the  many  showers  and  eating-  raw  fish,  they 
probably  had  no  more  difficulty  than  the  natives  of  the  Pacific 
islands  now  have  in  traversing  great  distances  between  islands 
in  their  crude  outrigger  canoes.  H.  Gr.  "Wells  states:  "It  is 
to  be  noted  as  evidence  of  the  canoe  born  origin  of  America's 
culture  that  elephant  headed  figures  are  found  in  Central 
American  drawings. 

The  second  or  Siberian  route  to  America  probably  came 
centuries  later  when  later  Neolithic  man  came  from  Asia  to 
this  continent  by  way  of  Bering  Strait.  It  is  surmised  by  some 
that  there  was  land  where  the  strait  is  now,  and  so  travel  was 
simple  and  natural  in  the  steady  pu^h  of  warring  tribes  escap- 
ing from  their  enemies.  Even  if  the  strait  had  been  as  it  is 
now,  it  probably  would  not  have  been  very  difficult  for  those 
adventurous  people  to  make  the  crossing,  undoubtedly  being 
urged  on  by  the  actual  sight  of  a  dim,  distant  land  across  the 
water.  A  great  proportion  of  these  people  would  naturally 
proceed  southward  because  of  more  favorable  climatic  condi- 
tions, more  fertile  country  and  a  profusion  of  wild  game.  Ac- 
cording to  N.  B.  Wood,  authority  on  Indian  history,  the  cus- 
toms, appearance  and  legend  of  our  American  Indians  all  seem 
to  give  support  to  the  theory  that  they  are  descendants  of  this 
Asiatic  people  coming  from  the  north. 

At  some  time  finally,  the  southward  drift  of  Amei-ican 
Indians  must  have  met  the  northbound,  older  civilization.  The 
canoe  borne  group  must  have  spread  out,  carrying  on  their 
customs,  worship,  mound  building  and  stone  work.  They  have 
left  an  indelible  mark  in  Central  America  and  on  up  north 
into  New  Mexico  and  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

To  quote  from  Baldwin,  the  fact  that  the  settlements  and 
works  of  these  people  "extended  through  Texas  and  across  the 
Rio  Grande  indicates  very  plainly  their  connection  with  the 
people  of  Mexico  .  .  .  the  connection  of  settlements  by  way 
of  Texas  appears  to  have  been  unbroken  from  ^Mexico  to  Ohio."" 
Why  should  we  suppose  they  did  not  find  this  remarkable 
country  of  ours,  a  paradise  abounding  in  game,  and  settle  for 
a  time  in  such  a  spot  as  the  top  of  the  Big  Horns  with  a  great 
expanse  of  their  world  at  their  feet,  and  herds  and  possible 
enemies  visible  for  hundreds  of  miles.  The  further  advance 
was  probablv  stopped  by  the  iuA'ading  force  of  the  ^Mongoloid 
barbarians  from  the  north,  who  through  the  years  had  finally 
pushed  their  way  south  to  meet  and  conquer  the  former  civ- 
ilization and  send  the  people  who  escaped  death  back  to  the 
southern  country  from  whence  they  came. 

Time  that  has  obliterated  the  origin  of  the  mysterious 
Medicine  Wheel,  will  undoubtedly  prove  a  solution  of  the  mys- 


60  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

tery  when  archeologists  in  our  countiy  in  future  years,  will 
spend  their  time  and  energy  in  trying  to  uncover  ruins  here 
instead  of  traversing  thousands  of  miles  of  land  and  sea  to 
delve  into  the  ruins  in  other  lands.  Already  Wyoming  is  prov- 
ing to  be  of  world  wide  interest  because  of  the  finding  of  some 
of  the  most  remarkable  fossil  remains  of  giant  prehistoric  ani- 
mals ever  found  on  this  continent,  some  of  vast  importance 
being  found  near  Greybull  and  Shell,  only  a  few  miles  from 
Cody.  More  thorough  investigation  of  such  ruins  as  the  Medi- 
cine "Wheel  may  add  further  historical  treasure  to  the  vast 
natural  wealth  of  oil,  mineral  and  scenic  beauty  in  this  grand 
state  of  ours. 


INTERESTING  STATISTICS 

ON  DEFENSE  ACTIVITIES  IN  WYOMING 

WORLD  WAR  I 

Book  Campaig-ns,  1917-1918 

"Thanks  for  the  largest  single  'overseas'  shipment  ever 
received  at  this  office.  Signed :  Asa  Don  Dickinson,  Command- 
ing Officer,  Por-t  of  Embarkation,  Hoboken,  New  Jersey." 

So  read  the  card  received  by  Miss  Agnes  Wright,^  Wyo- 
ming State  Librarian  and  State  Director  of  the  American  Li- 
brary Association  Book  Drive  for  the  soldiers  and  sailors  of 
the  tJnited  States  armed  forces  in  France,  following  the  ship- 
ment of  one  hundred  and  thirty  boxes  containing  approxi- 
mately 8,000  books  in  June  of  1918. 

Preceding  this  shipment  there  had  been  months  of  hard 
work  on  the  big  Book  Drive  held  March  18-25,  1918.  Miss 
"Wright,  assisted  by  Martha  Post,^  had  organized  Wyoming  for 
the  drive.  By  the  first  of  April  shipments  of  books  began  to 
arrive  at  the  State  Libary.  The  County  Librarians  had  col- 
lected, boxed  and  sent  the  books  to  the  State  Headcjuarters  at 
Cheyenne. 

One  large  basement  room  of  the  capitol  was  used  exclu- 
sively for  the  war  service  work.  Here  the  books  were  sorted, 
labeled,  carded,  made  ready  for  circulation,  and  then  packed 
for  "overseas"  shipment.  Volunteer  helpers  from  the  Capitol 
and  from  the  city  of  Cheyenne  spent  long  hours  in  this  work, 
until  by  June  the  large  collection  was  ready  for  shipment. 

1.  Mrs.  Agnes  Wright  Spring.  For  biography  see  ANNALS  OF 
WYOMING,  October,  1941,  page  237. 

2.  Miss  Post  later  became  Mrs.  George  Hoffman  who  was  recently 
voted  an  outstanding  saleswoman  for  a  large  law  book  publishing  house  in 
Chicago. 


INTERESTING   STATISTICS    ON    DEFENSE    ACTIVITIES       61 

A  complete  report  of  the  towns  contributing  books,  the 
number  and  directors  of  each  is  presented  here : 

Book  Drive  for  the  Soldiers  and  Sailors,  March  18-25,  1918 
Town  Director  Number  of  Books 

Afton Delia  Morrell  295 

Aladdin _ Mrs.  Harry  Tracr.. 145 

Basin Mrs.  Van  Devender 906 

Alva Mrs.  George  Cooke 250 

Buelah Miss  McEnanev  35 

Buffalo...... Mrs.  Clara  W.'  Bond 763 

Burlington Irene  Little  ..-. -..  23 

Casper... Mrs.  Sarah  Place 300 

Cheyenne Mrs.  James  Speer,  assisted 

by  Mrs.  Louella  Moore....3,000 

Cody Irma  Dew 500 

Cokeville Mr.  Frank  Man.. 302 

Cowley Mrs.  Welch  125 

Dayton... Mr.  George  W.  Perry 

(Sent  to  Sheridan) 

Deaver Mrs.  C.  M.  Davis 30 

Douglas Lucy  I.  Kellogg 1,293 

Dover..... Mrs.  Maude  Simmer] ee 30 

Elk  Mountain...... ...Helen  R.  Wright 50 

Encampment F.  H.  Healey 21 

Evanston Bessie  Blackham  227 

Farrell Mrs.  C.  J.  Brown 12 

Fort  Bridger Mr.  W.  A.  Carter. 28 

Frontier R.  H.  Turner 

(Sent  to  Kemmerer) 

Germania^ Myrtle  Baird  4 

Gillette John  A.  Osborne 

Dr.  T.  K.  Cassidy 203 

Glenrock Lucv  Kellogg 

J.  W  Harp 204 

Green  River Elizabeth  Moriartv  325 

Grevbull Mr.  M.  E.  McCarty 113 

Guernsey... Mrs.  C.  B.  Berrv 101 

Hanna Mr.  A.  D.  Burt'ord 514 

Hyattville Mrs.  L.  C.  Diehl 

Kemmerer ]\Irs.  Embree 317 

Kooi Doris  Kooi 61 

Lander Erdean  McCloud  502 


3.     Emblem,  Wvomiiig.  The  name  was  changed  during  World  War  [. 


62  ANNALS  Or  WYOMING 

Laramie W.  S.  Ingham 2,000 

Lost  Springs .Vera  Onyon  .-. 24 

LovelL-.- Mrs.  L.  V.  Strvker 50 

Lusk Mrs.  Fowler  -... -  220 

Lyman...- Eveline  Brough 121 

Manderson ..Mrs.  L.  0.  Gray..... 39 

Medicine  Bow Mrs.  W.  F.  Shields 100 

Mooreroft Mrs.  C.  S.  Smith 117 

Newcastle ......Mrs.  Anna  C.  Miller 200 

Orin  and  Shawnee May  Haas  39 

Pine  BlufiPs Thomas  Keenan  151 

(Some  to  troop  train) 

Rawlins Clarence  Brimmer  575 

Riverton L.  E.  McLaughlin 40 

Rock  Springs... Mrs.  Mary  A.  Clark 350 

Saratoga.. Mrs.  Fannie  Lee, 

Mr.  J.  E.  Kozin,  and 

Mr.  J.  E.  Delaney 210 

Shell ...Maud  King 66 

Sheridan.. Louise  Portz .....1,780 

St.  Joe.. Edwin  Thayer 

Sundance.. Herbert  M.  Brown 91 

Sunrise Mrs.  C.  T.  Sherbno 121 

Superior..... W.  R.  Matthews. 160 

Thermopolis Mrs.  Florence  Richards 

( Shipments  made  through 
Red  Cross) 

Torrington Erie  H.  Reid  (No  response) 

Upton Mrs.  Alma  Harmcn 75 

Van  Tassell...... John  H.  Pendray 200 

Wheatland Mrs.  E.  C.  Etheridge 150 

Worland Mary  L.  Thompson. 75 

Tie  Siding .Miss  Ida  Maxwell. 25 

Larahiie..... .Dr.  Hebard 100 

Laramie .Mrs.  Turner 80 


Total .....17,838 

Miss  Blackham  of  Evanston :  Books  to  Ft.  Doug- 
las, Utah  500 

Additional  books  supplied  to  Ft.  Russell  by  Chey- 
enne  '...    700 

Books  supplied  to  Troop  Trains  and  Red  Cross 1,500 


Grand  Total 20,538 

Previous  to  the  Book  Drive  of  1918  efforts  had  been  made 
to  supply  the  soldiers  wdth  reading  material.    In  July  of  1917 


INTERESTING   STATISTICS    ON    DEFENSE    ACTIVITIES       63 

• 

the  American  Library  Association  had  been  asked  to  assume 
the  responsibility  of  providing  adequate  library  facilities  in 
the  cantonments  and  training-  camps.  Efforts  to  collect  as  many 
gift  books  as  possible  for  the  soldiers  were  started  in  xVugust. 
The  Army,  however,  was  anxious  to  obtain  certain  technical 
and  desirable  books  which  were  not  being  received  as  gifts, 
and  to  speed  up  the  establishment  of  larger  and  better  libraries 
in  camps,  therefore  the  collecting  of  books  was  suspended  in 
September,  1917,  to  assist  with  the  Million  Dollar  War  Fund 
or  Soldiers '  Book  Fund  Campaign  which  was  conducted 
throughout  the  nation  during  the  week  of  September  24,  1917. 
Such  a  short  time  was  given  in  which  to  organize  that  only  a 
part  of  the  state  was  represented  by  contributions.  Though 
Wyoming's  actual  quota  was  $2,000.00,  the  sum  of  $4,463. 4:4 
was  raised,  and  according  to  the  report  of  J.  F.  Jennings, 
Division  Director  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  the  states  of 
Wyoming,  Oregon  and  Washington  exceeded  their  minimum 
quotas  by  100  per  cent. 

Following  the  finance  drive,  the  earlier  task  of  collecting 
gift  books  was  resumed.  Denver,  Colorado,  was  named  as  the 
collection  center  to  which  all  books  collected  in  Wyoming  were 
to  be  shipped.  Several  hundred  books  and  numerous  magazines 
were  sent  to  Denver  or  given  to  troop  trains  leaving  and 
passing  through  Wyoming.  In  answer  to  a  call  for  books  at 
Fort  D.  A.  Russell,*^  Wyoming,  the  Carnegie  Library  of  Chey- 
enne supplied  several  hundred  gift  books,  and  the  State  Li- 
brary loaned  a  Branch  Library  of  about  eight  hundred  volumes, 
which  were  cared  for  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  This  work  continued 
until  the  Book  Drive  of  1918,  which  made  possible  the  big 
"overseas"  shipment  in  June. 

Women  Raise  Over  Three  Million  in 
Victory  Liberty  Loan 

The  sum  of  more  than  three  million  dollars  was  raiseil  l)y 
women  of  Wyoming  in  the  Victory  Liberty  loan  campaign  in 
the  summer  of  1918,  as  revealed  by  the  Wyoming  State  Trlbiou 
of  June  12,  1919,  on  file  in  the  State  Historical  Department. 

Mrs.  T.  S.  Taliaferro  of  Rock  Springs,  state  chairman  of 
the  women's  committee,  submitted  her  final  report  on  that 
day.  which  showed  a  total  of  $3,388,450.00. 

The  amounts  secured  in  each  county,  together  with  the 
names  of  the  conntv  chairman,  folhnv : 


4.  Camp  F.  E.  Waneu.  The  name  was  ehanged  iu  liK^O  when  the 
post  was  renamed  in  honor  of  the  kite  Senator  Francis  E.  Warren  of 
Wyoming. 


64  ANNALS  OP  WYOMING  , 

"Laramie,  Mrs.  Charles  D.  Carey $906,850.00 

Natrona,  Mrs.  Oliver  G.  Johnson __ 452,000.00 

Carbon,  Miss  Mazie  Doty 404,200.00 

Albany,  Mrs.  E.  H.  Knight— _.....  329,600.00 

Sweetwater,  Mrs.  Cora  B.  AVanamaker 239,900.00 

Lincoln,  Mrs.  P.  J.  Quealy _ 207,500.00 

Converse,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Keller 114,850.00 

Sheridan,  Mrs.  Horatio  Burns... 95,550.00 

Big  Horn,  Mrs.  L.  V.  Stryker 95,250.00 

Park,  Mrs.  R.  L  Volckmer 86,450.00 

Platte,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Crouter... 63,100.00 

Fremont,  Mrs.  Mary  D.  Jackson 61,250.00 

Crook,  Mrs.  C.   S.  Smith 58,050.00 

Washakie,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Robertson 51,550.00 

Uinta,  Mrs.  F.  A.   Gray 41,500.00 

Goshen,  Mrs.  G.  E.  Gannon 41,350.00 

Weston,  Mrs.  E.  C.  Raymond 40,400.00 

Hot  Springs,  Mrs.  T.  B.  Hood... 40,000.00 

Niobrara,  Mrs.  James  E.  Mayes... 34,050.00 

Campbell,  Mrs.  George  Gibson..... 17,500.00 

Johnson,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Van  Dyke 7,550.00" 

"Wyoming  Bought  $32,810,600  Liberty  Bonds 

"It  has  not  been  a  great  many  years  since  the  assessed 
valuation  of  Wyoming  was  $30,000,000.  We  have  many  resi- 
dents who  remember  that  time. 

"During  the  war,  however,  Wyoming  was  asked  to  raise 
$25,000,000  in  government  bond  sales  and  actually  sold  nearly 
$33,000,000.   The  following  was  the  quota  in  the  various  issues : 

First  Liberty  Bond  issue $  1,567,550 

Second  Liberty  Bond  issue.. 3,936,000 

Third  Liberty  Bond  issue 5,025,900 

Fourth  Liberty  Bond  issue 7,977,500 

Fifth  (Victory)  Bond  issue.. 6,414,550 

TOTAL    $24,921,500 

"And  these  were  the  sales: 

First  Liberty  Bond  issue ......:.....$  2,083,900 

Second  Liberty  Bond  issue 5,692,200 

Third  Liberty  Bond  issue 7,330,550 

Fourth  Liberty  Bond  issue 10,525,500 

Fifth   (Victory)  Bond  issue... 7,198,450 

TOTAL $32,810,600 

"That  is  one  reason  we  speak  of  Wyoming  as  the  wealthiest 
state  per  capita  in  the  union." 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT, 

PIONEER  HISTORIAN,  AND  HERETOFORE 

UNPUBLISHED 

Chapter  XX 

Laramie  County" 

Cheyenne  Continued — Another  Newspaper  Established,  1876 — News  of 
Custer  Tragedy  Is  Heard — James  Hunton  Killed  by  Indians — Other 
Depredations  in  the  Chug  Section,  Making  Extremely  Troublesome 
Day3 — Time  for  Holding  Elections  Changed  by  the  1876  Legislature 
from  the  First  Tuesday  in  September  to  the  same  day  in  November 
Each  Year. 

A  history  should  be  something  more  than  a  mere  record 
of  facts  and  isolated  incidents.  Thev  should  be  so  interwoven 
and  connected  as  to  form  links  in  a  chain  which  should  reach 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  Yet  all  history  cannot  be 
pliiloso'phy  of  history.  The  crimes  committed  in  this  world, 
and  the  wars  which  sometimes  afflict  nations  seem  not  to  be  a 
part  of  the  Omnipotent  plan  for  the  government  of  the  world 
— they  are  mere  incidents  to  the  best  plan  that  could  have  lieen 
desired,  and  while  anything  beyond  a  passing  observation 
would  be  out  of  place  here,  it  may  be  said  that  since  the  oc- 
currence of  startling  events  in  the  year  1876  in  the  northern 
portion  of  Wyoming  «nd  Laramie  county,  a  more  peaceful  state 
of  affairs  has  existed,  and  new  counties  have  been  created  out 
of  territory  through  which  prior  to  that  time  white  men  rarely 
ventured. 

The  year  1876  opened  in  Cheyenne  quite  uneventful,  and 
so  continued  for  a  number  of  months.  On  the  .  .  .^  day 
of  .  .  .  the  Cheyenne  Daily  and  ^Yeel•ly  Snn'^  made 
its  first  appearance  in  the  Magic  City — a  newspaper  which  was 
destined  to  exert  a  great  influence,  not  onlv  in  the  eitv  Imt 


NOTE. — This  original  maiiuseript  which  is  known  as  part  of  the 
"Ooutant  Notes"  has  been  transcribed  and  jmblished  verbatim  iu  the 
ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  beginning  with  the  danuary,  1940,  issue.— Ed. 

*"Holt's  New  Map  of  Wyoming,"  published  in  1SS7.  may  be 
found  in  the  State  Museum,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming.  The  niaj)  slunvs  the  loca- 
tion of  the  ranches  in  Laramie  County  mentioned  in  this  Coutant  material 
and  may  be  studied  -\nth  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  connection  with  it. — Ed. 

1.  Periods,  .  .  .,  indicate  either  that  a  Avord  was  omitted  by  Mr. 
Coutant  or  is  not  legible. 

2.  "The  Chci/cnnc  Pailii  Sun  rises  on  Monday  next.  It  is  not  yet 
decided  whether  it  is  to  be  a  nuirning  or  evening  Sun.  It  would  seem  inaji- 
propriate,  however,  to  have  a  Sun-rise  in  the  evening.  'Speaking  of  Suns 
reminds  us  that  this  will  be  the  third  paper  of  that  name  published  iu 
Clieyenue.  Old  timers  will  remember  that  the  first  two  had  but  brief  lease 
of  life,  and  left  no  monument,  save  the  unpaid  bills  of  their  publishers." — 
Cheyenne  DaiUj  Leader,  Friday,  March  3,  187(3. 


66  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

throughout  the  territory.  Its  proprietor,  E.  A.  Slack,  had  beeu 
for  some  time  conducting  the  Laramie  Independeni  at  Laramie 
City,  but  in  the  spring  of  '76  he  moved  to  Cheyenne,  bought  the 
Clieyeiuie  Daily  News,  and  consolidating  that  with  the  Inde- 
pendent commenced  the  publication  of  his  paper  under  this 
new  name. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1876,  the  citizens  of  Cheyenne  held  a 
grand  centennial  celebration — the  exercise  of  the  day  taking 
place  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Minnehaha.  Speeches  were  made 
by  E.  P.  Johnson,  Esq.,  Chief  Justice  J.  W.  Fisher,  and  Judge 
W.  H.  Miller.  An  original  poem  entitled  "The  Magic  City  of 
the  Plains"  was  read  by  W.  P.  Carroll,  and  Judge  J.  R.  White- 
head read  a  very  interesting  historical  essay  on  early  times  in 
Wyoming.  The  entire  city  turned  out,  and  there  w^as  great 
enthusiasm,  and  in  the  evening  a  grand  display  of  fireworks 
on  the  shores  of  the  lake.  In  less  than  forty-eight  hours  the 
city  was  plunged  into  the  deepest  gloom. 

On  the  niglit  of  the  5th  of  July  the  news  reached  Cheyenne 
that  General  Geo.  A.  Custer  and  300  men  of  the  7th  U.  S. 
cavalry  had  been  massacred  by  the  Sioux  Indians  in  the  north- 
ern portion  of  the  territory  while  endeavoring  to  strike  a  blow 
in  behalf  of  civilization  against  the  inveterate  foes  of  the 
border  land.  The  announcement  was  received  with  profound 
sorrow  by  all  classes  of  people.  General  Custer  was  w^ell  known 
personally  by  many  in  Cheyenne,  and  all  knew  him  by  reputa- 
tion to  be  a  steadfast  friend  of  the  pioneers  who  had  taken 
their  lives  into  their  own  hands  for  the  purpose  of  making  of 
the  Far  West  a  home  and  a  refuge  for  the  millions  who  will 
eventually  come.  This  peace  commission  consisted  of  Senator 
AV.  B.  Allison  of  Iowa,  Charles  James  Foulkufr  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, Ex-Governor  William  Beach  Law^rence  of  Rhode  Island, 
and  General  Alfred  H.  Terry.  These  commissioners  came  to 
Cheyenne,  and  after  remaining  a  day  or  two  started  for  the 
agency. 

A  good  joke  happened  in  connection  with  the  departure 
of  these  commissioners.  After  traveling  many  miles  toward 
the  north  they  were  met  by  a  cowboy  who  was  coming  toward 
Cheyenne,  who  heard  one  of  the  commissioners  tell  one  of  the 
others  that  he  had  lost  a  little  book  somewhere  on  the  road 
after  starting  from  Cheyenne.  The  cowboy  who  somehow 
learned  who  they  were  concluded  to  look  for  that  little  book  as 
he  was  going  in  to  Cheyenne  over  the  same  road.  Before  he 
had  ridden  two  miles  he  discovered  the  book  lying  in  the 
middle  of  the  road.  Getting  off  his  horse  he  picked  it  up.  The 
book  proved  to  be  Fennimore  Cooper's  "Last  of  the  Mohicans" 
and  the  supposition  was  that  the  illustrious  "Indian  commis- 
sioner" was  posting  himself  up  on  the  character  of  the  aver- 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       67 

age  North  American  Indian,  and  an  inquisitive  individual 
eventually  ascertained  where  he  purchased  the  book  in  Chey- 
enne. The  "commissioners"  accomplished  nothing  at  their  con- 
ference, and  returned  to  Cheyenne  where  they  met  President 
Grant,  who  with  General  John  M.  Thayer  (who  had  succeeded 
John  A.  Campbell  as  Governor  of  Wyoming)  was  returning 
from  a  trip  to  Salt  Lake. 

The  commissioners  were  disgusted  at  what  they  had  done, 
and  Grant  was  disgusted  at  what  they  had  not  done,  and  inti- 
mated as  much  to  the  commissioners  themselves.  It  has  always 
been  a  problem  whether  the  failure  to  effect  a  treaty  with  the 
Sioux  on  that  occasion  was  not  due  to  the  loss  of  the  Fenni- 
more  Cooper  book  as  that  is  standard  authority  on  the  Indian 
character — at  least  among  eastern  people. 

However,  the  government  adopted  stern  measures  with  the 
agency  Indians  befor©  the  season  was  over,  taking  their  ponies 
from  them,  and  sent  many  hundreds  of  them  to  Fort  Laramie 
where  they  were  sold  at  auction  in  October,  1876.  The  effect 
of  this  Avas  to  scatter  the  Indians  out  all  over  the  northern 
region,  their  purpose  being  to  re-capture  their  ponies,  and 
they  had  enough  animals  left  which  were  not  seized  to  ride 
around  fully  expeditiously  on  this  mission.  As  early  as  the 
month  of  May  even,  they  began  their  depredations.  On  the  4th 
day  of  May,  1876,  James  liunton,  a  brother  of  John  Hunton, 
rode  out  from  the  well  known  "Hunton  Ranch"  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Box  Elder  creek  for  the  purpose  of  looking  up  missing- 
stock.  While  riding  along  near  a  deep  ravine  he  was  fired  at 
and  wounded  in  the  left  side  by  Indians  concealed  in  the  bushes 
and  sagebrush  near  by  below  him.  Turning  to  escape,  his  horse 
stumbled  and  fell  in  some  rocks  near  the  brow  of'  the  hill  ovec 
wJiich  he  was  riding  at  the  time.  Finding  that  he  could  not 
regain  his  horse,  Hunton  fled  on  foot  to  a  "pocket"  in  the 
ravine  where,  pulling  off  the  glove  from  his  right  hand  and 
drawing  a  six-shooter  which  he  had  with  him  at  the  time,  he 
prepared  to  defend  himself.  Tlie  Indians  attacked,  and  he  tired 
all  the  shots  from  his  revolver  wounding  one  of  the  Indians  in 
the  face,  but  he  was  finally  killed,  and  when  his  body  was 
found  the  next  day  there  were  five  bullet  and  three  knife 
wounds  to  show  how  effectual  had  been  the  work  of  the  sav- 
ages. His  horse  which  the  Indians  were  unable  to  catch  made 
its  appearance  near  the  ranch  next  morning.  Nearly  everv 
portion  of  the  country  north  of  Pole  Creek  and  south  of  the 
North  Platte  river  was  raided  by  the  Indians  during  tl\e  sum- 
mer and  fall,  and  wherever  they  could  catch  a  white  man  alone, 
or  even  when  there  were  more  of  them,  a  hostile  denuuistration 
was  sure  to  result.    In  September  the  Indians  several   times 


68  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

made  their  appearance  near  Joe  Armijo's  ranch  between  Little 
Bear  and  the  Chug^,  but  made  no  attack. 

In  the  latter  part  of  September  Daniel  Mcllvaine  and 
David  McFarland  had  a  desperate  encounter  with  several  In- 
dians some  miles  west  of  Hunton's  ranch  on  the  Chug.  They 
went  out  together  from  the  ranch  of  the  former  to  look  after 
stock,  and  suddenly  rode  into  close  proximity  wath  a  party  of 
Indians.  The  latter  charged  upon  them  at  once,  but  the  two 
men  dismounting  from  their  horses  shot  and  disabled  two  of 
the  horses  ridden  by  their  would  be  murderers,  or  captors,  be- 
fore they  could  reach  them.  This  cooled  them  down  a  little, 
but  a  fight  was  kept  up  for  several  miles,  until  finally  Mc- 
llvaine's  and  McFarland 's  horses  were  shot.  One  of  the  two 
would  stand  firm  and  keep  the  savages  at  bay  while  the  other 
would  fall  back  a  few  hundred  feet.  They  maintained  the 
fight  in  this  way  until  at  length  McFarland  was  wounded  in 
the  shoulder.  The  Indians  had  intervened  between  the  two 
men  and  Mcllvain's  ranch,  and  finding  they  were  cut  off  they 
then  endeavored  to  make  good  their  escape  to  Hunton's,  which 
they  did.  After  the  running  fight  was  over  the  Indians  rode 
back  to  Mcllvaine 's  ranch  and  ran  off  several  head  of  horses. 

Len  Ashenfelter  was  at  the  ranch  at  the  time,  and  saw 
what  was  going  on  and  knew  they  were  Indians.  An  old  lady 
who  was  at  the  ranch  at  the  time  also  saw  the  horses  running 
away  and  wanted  Ashenfelter  to  go  out  and  see  what  "those 
men"  were  doing.  Ashenfelter,  not  wishing  to  alarm  the  old 
lady,  said  he  would  attend  to  that  and  mounted  his  horse. 
Observing  that  the  Indians  had  come  from  the  direction  taken 
by  Mcllvaine,  and  fearing  that  something  had  happened  to 
them,  he  waited  until  there  was  no  danger  of  the  Indians  re- 
turning to  attack  the  ranch,  and  then  rode  safely  away  in 
quest  of  the  two  men.  He  did  not  find  them,  but  found  their 
dead  horses,  and  correctly  surmising  how  the  affair  had  termi- 
nated, Ashenfelter  rode  on  to  Hunton's  where  he  found  them. 

At  that  time  there  w^ere  a  few  soldiers  stationed  at  Hun- 
ton's and  taking  a  sergeant  and  ten  soldiers,  Ashenfelter  struck 
out,  hoping  to  intercept  the  Indians  and  re-capture  the  horses. 
The  Indians  were  encountered  near  a  deep  ravine  where  a 
fight  ensued  which  lasted  for  more  than  two  hours  without 
decisive  results.  Finalh'^  the  sergeant  was  killed,  and  at  about 
the  same  time  the  Indians  drew  off.  It  was  not  known  whether 
any  of  the  Indians  were  slain. 

Several  times  near  the  last  of  October  the  Indians  made 
their  appearance  upon  and  near  the  Fort  Laramie  road  be- 
tween Armijos'  ranch  on  the  Chug.    On  the  20tli  two  parties 


3.     Chugwater  Eiver. 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WEITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       69 

were  going  from  Fort  Laramie  south,  and  on  the  evening  of 
that  day  thirty  Indians  were  seen  near  the  road  some  miles 
south  of  the  Cliug,  and  at  about  that  time  T.  Jeff  Carr  and 
Louis  Loeb  of  Cheyenne  who  had  been  "up  the  country"'  on 
a  political  mission,  were  fired  at  by  the  Indians,  who  were, 
however,  some  distance  away.  Several  cowboys  were  chased 
about  this  time,  and  another  party  was  pursued  for  two  miles 
by  thirteen  of  the  hostiles,  but  escaped  to  a  freighting  outfit. 

October  23d  Major  Upton  with  five  companies  of  cavalry 
passed  southward  from  the  Chug  toward  Cheyenne.  The  Indians 
who  were  constantly  hovering  in  sight  of  the  road  probably 
construed  this  into  a  retreat  and  acted  accordingly.  When  the 
troops  passed  I.  N.  Bard's  ranch  on  the  Little  Bear,  W.  P.  Car- 
roll, who  had  also  been  "up  the  country"  on  a  political  mis- 
sion, and  who  had  followed  in  the  rear  of  the  cavalry  from  the 
Chug,  stopped  while  the  cavalry  went  on  to  Horse  Creek.  There 
were  then  at  the  ranch  Judge  Bard,  Mrs.  Bard,  a  little  girl, 
and  two  men  who  were  employed  on  the  ranch.  There  are  high 
bluffs  near  the  house  and  Bard  mounted  a  horse  and  rode  to 
the  top  of  them  to  look  for  his  cows.  As  he  did  so  several  In- 
dians rose  out  of  the  sagebrush,  and  three  shots  were  fired ; 
one  of  them  by  Bard.  The  two  men  at  the  ranch  grasped  their 
guns  and  scaled  the  bluff  to  assist  Bard,  while  in  compliance 
with  the  earnest  entreaties  of  Mrs.  Bard  who  was  much  alarmed, 
Carroll  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  rapidly  to  Fagan's  ranch, 
four  and  one-half  miles  away,  to  bring  back  a  squad  of  cavalry. 
When  he  arrived  there  Major  Upton,  Avho  had  ordered  his 
troops  into  camp,  declined  to  send  back  any  of  his  men  as  he 
did  not  believe  the  Indians  would  "attack  the  ranch."  Calling 
in  vain  then  for  volunteers  among  quite  a  number  of  ranch- 
men, who  in  those  days  used  to  gather  in  at  Fagan's  at  night 
as  being  a  more  secure  place  than  their  own  ranches,  the  mes- 
senger, against  their  earnest  protests,  rode  back  througli  the 
darkness  to  Bard's  to  render  what  assistance  he  could  in  case 
it  was  necessary.  All  of  the  guns  at  the  ranch,  six  in  number, 
were  put  in  order  for  better  safety,  Mrs.  Bard  with  the  little 
girl  placed  down  cellar  from  which  there  was  an  underground 
channel  leading  out  to  the  banks  of  the  creek,  and  all  otlier 
necessary  preparations  made  to  resist  a  night  attack.  Although 
the  Indians  could  he  heard  signalling  to  each  other  during  the 
night  (this  mode  of  communicating  being  a  coyote  bark")  no 
liostile  demonstration  was  made.  The  next  morning  ^Nlrs.  Bard 
and  the  little  girl  were  sent  in  to  Cheyenne. 

Shortly  after  the  passage  of  the  troops  southward  from 
Fort  Laramie  under  Major  Upton  as  before  related,  the  In- 
dians appeared  several  times  in  considerable  numbers  in  the 
vicinity  of  Phillip's  and  Maxwell's  ranches  on  the  Chug,  but 


70  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

committed  no  depredations  beyond  the  running  off  of  a  few 
head  of  cattle  and  horses.  About  the  last  of  October  a  Geo. 
Harris  was  set  upon  some  miles  west  of  Fort  Laramie  and  pur- 
sued to  the  post,  several  shots  being  fired  at  him  which  he  re- 
turned, and  on  the  same  day  a  party  of  three  who  were  riding 
in  a  carriage  toward  Fort  Laramie  discovered  a  party  of  seven 
Indians  about  four  miles  south  of  the  Chug.  They  did  not  wait 
for  the  Indians  to  make  any  hostile  demonstrations,  but  one  of 
the  three,  Fred  Bath  of  Laramie  City,  fired  a  shot  at  them  with 
his  rifle,  while  another  of  the  party  discharged  a  revolver  in 
the  same  direction.  The  Indians  fired  one  shot  in  return, 
mounted  their  ponies  and  disappeared.  Somewhat  early  in 
the  season  a  cowboy  who  went  by  the  name  of  "Fatty,"  his 
right  name  being  Stewart,  started  from  Walker's  ranch  to  go 
to  Fort  Laramie  after  the  mail.  He  did  not  return,  and  on 
search  being  made  for  him  it  was  found  where  his  horse  had 
been  shot,  and  tracks  were  found  close  by  which  indicated  the 
former  presence  of  perhaps  a  dozen  Indians.  The  cowboy,  how- 
ever was  not  found,  but  later  in  the  season  in  the  vicinity  where 
the  tracks  were  discovered,  a  pair  of  spurs,  part  of  a  pair  of 
boots,  and  some  articles  of  clothing  were  found  close  to  where 
there  had  been  a  large  fire,  and  all  of  the  indications  pointed 
to  the  fact  that  the  cowboy  had  actually  been  burned  at  the 
stake.  Whether  this  was  the  fact  or  not,  certain  it  is  that  the 
cowboy  has  never  been  seen  or  heard  of  since. 

Many  other  instances  might  be  cited  to  illustrate  the  ex- 
ceedingly troublesome  and  warlike  character  of  the  Sioux  in 
1876,  but  the  foregoing  must  suffice  upon  this  point  w4th  the 
single  remark  that  whether  all  of  this  was  necessary  or  not  in 
order  that  tranquility  might  reign  within  our  borders,  since 
the  year  1876,  there  has  been  but  little  difficulty  Avith  the  In- 
dians anywhere  within  the  present  boundaries  of  Laramie 
county,  though  farther  north  in  what  is  now  Crook  county  the 
case  has  been  somewhat  different. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  the  time  of  holding  the  fall 
election  for  county  officers  in  Wj^oming  had  been  changed  from 
the  first  Tuesday  in  September  to  the  same  day  in  November 
of  each  year,  and  by  law  the  election  of  delegate  in  congress 
was  to  occur  on  the  same  day  also,  consequently  the  election 
in  1876  did  not  take  place  until  November. 

The  following  figures  show  the  result  in  the  county : 

For  Delegate  in  Congress— W.  W.  Corlett 1245 

W.  R.  Steel 940    . 

Sheriff T.  Jeff  Carr 1106 

N.  J.  O'Brien- 1067 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       71 

Judge  of  Probate  and 

treasurer Chas.  F.  Miller 18:34 

Oscar  Sharpless 825 

County  Clerk Louis   Loeb 1180 

G.  B.  Stimson 1084 

County  Attorney W.  H.  Miller _.. 

E.  P.  Johnson 1054 

Superintendent  of  schools. ..J.  G.  Cowhick 1335 

Rev.  C.  M.  Sanders 831 

Assessor W.  G.  Provines 1339 

Geo.  R.  Thomas 896 

Coroner .....Geo.  P.  Goldacker 1191 

A.  E.  Howe 944 

County  commissioners .A.  H.  Swan 1346 

John  Sparks 1831 

E.    Nagle .......1191 

Fred  Landau 908 

John   Talbot 864 

D.  K.  Smith.. 784 

Of  the  officers  elected  all  were  Democrats  ex'cept  Swan 
and  Nagle.  Elections  for  Justices  of  the  Peace  and  constables 
since  1875  have  been  held  only  in  the  precincts  for  which  they 
are  chosen.  The  result  in  Cheyenne  at  the  1876  election  was 
as  follows:  T.  M.  Fisher,  947;  John  Slaughter,  815;  Daniel 
Fallon,  757;  S.  H.  Wood,  437;  A.  S.  Emery.  169;  the  latter  an 
independent  candidate. 

For  constables  the  vote  stood  R.  H.  Kipp,  843 :  T.  F.  Tal- 
bot, 823;  Thomas  Cahill,  774;  J.  P.  Julian,  675. 

The  congressional  election  in  the  fall  of  1876  was  an 
exciting  one,  especially  in  Laramie  county,  aiul  there  was 
much  enthusiasm  manifested  in  Chevenne. 


The  result  in  the  entire  territorv  is  here  given 


County 

Corlett 

Albany 

1010 

Carbon 

529 

Laramie 

1242 

Sweetwater 

496 

Uinta 

587 

Steele 

407 
940 
423 
457 


Total  vote                  8864  2760 

Majority  for  Corlett 1104 

(Here  in  the  manuscript  was  space  and  paragraph  in  skele- 
ton form  for  results  of  city  election,  never  completed  by  the 
author.) 


72  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Chapter  XXI 

Laramie  CoTinty 

Cheyenne  Continued — Gramblers  Albert  H.  Harrison  and  James  Leary  in 
Tragic  Combat — Beautiful  Jennie  Martin  Murdered — Lives  of  Citi- 
zens Endangered — Temperance  Pledge  Signed  at  Revival  Meetings 
by  Thirteen  Hundred — Broken  Water  Spout  Floods  City,  1877 — More 
Newspapers  Launched — '  'Eoad  Agents' '  Molest  Travelers  on  Chey- 
enne-Black Hills  Stage  Line — Young  Slaughter  Killed — Daring  Rob- 
bery Led  by  Fonce  Reins — Other  Tragedies  of  the  Stage  Route. 

Let  us  now  consider  some  of  the  more  important  events 
of  the  year  1877.  There  were  many  of  them,  but  only  a  few 
can  be  mentioned. 

On  the  9th  day  of  March  there  occurred  on  Eddy  Street 
in  Cheyenne  one  of  the  most  desperate  encounters  between  two 
men  whose  business  for  some  years  had  been  the  conducting 
of  and  engaging  in  games  of  chance,  and  in  card  playing,  etc., 
for  money.  Their  names  were  Albert  H.  Harrison  and  James 
Leary.  Li  the  afternoon  of  that  day  these  two  men  met  at  a 
saloon  on  Sixteenth  Street,  not  far  from,  the  Inter  Ocean  Hotel. 
Connected  with  the  saloon  was  a  gaming  room  in  which  various 
games  of  chance,  etc.,  were  habitually  played.  The  two  men 
engaged  in  a  game  of  "poker"  with  each  other,  and  both  of 
them  won  and  lost  at  times.  Finally  a  dispute  arose  between 
them  over  $12.50  which  one  claimed  that  he  had  won  while 
the  other  denied  it.  Harrison  was  the  man  who  it  was  claimed 
had  lost  that  amount,  and  finally  he  told  Leary  that  if  he 
(Leary)  got  the  money  he  would  have  to  fight  for  it,  and 
Leary  replied  that  he  had  a  mind  to  do  that.  The  quarrel  went 
on  until  Harrison  said  something  about  Irishmen  (Leary  being 
one)  which  added  fuel  to  the  flames.  Leary  had  a  "gun"  (six 
shooter)  with  him,  but  at  this  time  Harrison  was  unarmed. 
Finally,  S.  L.  Moyer  got  the  two  men  apart  and  stopped  the 
quarrel  for  the  time  being.  Shortly  after  they  both  left  the 
place,  and  walked  up  toward  Eddy  Street  together.  When 
they  arrived  near  the  northeast  corner  of  Eddy  and  Sixteenth 
Streets  the  subject  of  the  quarrel  was  broached  again.  Both 
men  were  willing  to  fight  as  the  sequel  showed.  When  Leary 
turned  to  go  into  the  saloon  on  the  corner  alluded  to — kept  by 
Charles  Storms — Harrison  said  that  he  disliked  to  be  shot  in 
the  back,  but  that  as  he  was  unarmed  he  would  go  to  Dyer's 
Hotel  and  get  his  "gun"  and  then  he  would  be  ready  for  a 
fight.  Harrison  furthermore  said  to  Leary  that  the  latter 
might  go  a  short  distance  up  Sixteenth  Street  to  where  he  saw 
a  certain  large  sign  which  he  pointed  out,  and  that  after  he 
(Harrison)  got  his  revolver  and  came  back  to  the  corner  oppo- 
site Storm's  place,  "to  turn  loose"  and  he  would  be  prepared 


HISTOEY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       73 

to  do  the  same.  Having  said  this,  Harrison  went  after  his 
"gun,"  and  procuring  it  started  back  down  Eddy  Street  to- 
ward the  corner  before  indicated. 

In  the  meantime  Leary  went  into  Storm's  place,  and  the 
proprietor  appears  to  have  assumed  a  sort  of  guardianship 
over  him,  and  not  only  gave  him  a  larger  revolver,  but  volun- 
teered some  suggestions  which  were  acted  upon  by  Leary,  for 
when  Harrison  was  making  his  way  down  Eddy  Street, 
Leary  made  his  appearance  from  a  side  door  nearby  in  the 
reai"  of  the  saloon,  and  opened  fire  just  as  Harrison  arrived, 
at  a  point  a  few  feet  south  of  S.  L.  Moyer's  place.  Harrison 
was  hit  and  fell,  but  at  about  the  same  time  fired  also,  his 
bullet  passing  through  the  .west  side  of  the  Storm's  saloon. 
Leary  continued  to  fire,  and  gave  Harrison  his  mortal  wound 
after  the  latter  had  fallen.  Five  shots  were  fired  in  all,  three 
by  Leary,  and  two  by  Harrison.  One  of  the  shots  from  Leary 's 
revolver  went  through  the  window  and  lodged  in  the  door  of 
a  large  ice  safe  and  narrowly  missed  hitting  the  barkeeper 
and  another  man  standing  near  by.  Before  the  last  shot  was 
fired  people  began  to  rush  to  the  spot,  and  in  less  than  five 
minutes  there  were  hundreds  on  the  ground.  Harrison  was 
picked  up  and  taken  to  Dyer's  Hotel  where  he  died  on  the 
22nd.  Leary  was  arrested,  but  gave  bail.  He  was  afterwards 
indicted  and  tried  on  the  charge  of  manslaughter,  but  was 
acquitted.  Leary  went  to  Deadwood,  Dakota,  and  eventually 
to  Arizona,  where  he  was  shot  and  killed  in  very  much  the 
same  (way)  that  he  killed  Harrison.  Storms  also  went  to 
Arizona,  and  in  an  affray  at  Tombstone  in  that  territory  he 
was  shot  through  the  heart  and  killed,  but  strange  to  say  suc- 
ceeded in  pointing  his  revolver  at  his  assailant  after  he  had 
fallen  to  the  ground. 

This  afl'air  caused  much  excitement  in  C'lieyenne.  and  the 
indignation  of  the  people  was  aroused  because  these  two  men 
should  arrogate  to  themselves  the  right  to  put  the  lives  of 
other  people  in  jeopardy  in  settling  a  ([uarrel  between  the  two 
principal  actors  in  this  bloody  drama. 

Shortly  before  dark  on  the  evening  of  .  .  .  1876,  Miss 
Jennie  Martin,  an  exceedingly  beautiful  and  estimable  young 
lady  of  seventeen,  was  shot  through  the  head  and  instantly 
killed  on  the  sidewalk  a  few  feet  north  of  what  at  this 
time  (1886)  is  known  as  the  INEcGregor  corner,-^  while  walking 
along  with  another  young  lady — ]\Iiss  ^linnie  ^Montgomery — 
and,  although  the  terrible  affair  was  investigated  for  days  by 
the  coroner's  jury,  and  aftemvards  by  the  grand  jury  before 
whom  no  less  than  66  witnesses  appeared  and  testified,  the 


4.     McGregor  Corner,  400  West   ITtli   Street,   Cheveiine. 


74  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

perpetrator  of  the  foul  deed  was  never  ascertained,  although 
people  were  not  wanting  who  asserted  that  they  could  point 
out  the  man.  As  Miss  Martin  did  not  have  an  enemy  in  the 
world  so  far  as  known,  it  was  always  supposed  that  she  was 
mistaken  for  someone  else,  and  that  the  shot  was  not  intended 
for  her. 

On  the  18th  day  of  July,  1877,  Thomas  J.  Street  died,  and 
his  funeral  occurred  two  days  later.  Mr.  Street,  who  for  sev- 
eral years  had  served  as  city  attorney,  was  one  of  widest 
l-:noAvn  and  ablest  lawyers  in  the  territory.  The  bar  held  a 
meeting,  adopted  resolutions,  etc.,  and  attended  the  funeral 
in  a  body.  His  funeral  was  the  largest  and  most  numerously 
attended  one  that  ever  occurred,  in  the  territory,  or  city,  up 
to  that  time.  The  entire  tire  department,  of  which  Mr.  Street 
was  a  member,  attended  in  a  body,  and  with  several  secret 
and  other  societies  marched  in  the  procession  to  the  city  ceme- 
tery where  the  remains  were  interred.  The  procession  moved 
via  Eddy^  and  Seventeenth  Streets  to  the  place  of  burial,  and 
when  the  head  of  the  procession  entered  the  cemetery  gate  the 
rear  of  it  was  passing  the  Carey  Block  in  the  heart  of  the  city. 
Mr.  Street  had  a  dog  named  "Don"  which  for  years  had  fol- 
loAved  him  nearly  everywhere,  and  when  the  funeral  took  place, 
the  poor  animal  trudged  along  near  or  under  the  hearse  to 
the  place  of  burial.  When  the  mourners  and  others  were 
returning  to  the  city  the  dog  went  back  to  the  cemetery,  and 
was  found  the  next  morning  lying  beside  his  late  master's 
grave,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  he  could  be  induced 
to  leave  it. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Street,  James  M.  Irwin,  Esq.,  was 
appointed  city  attorney,  but  held  the  office  but  a  short  time 
when  W.  P.  Carroll  was  tendered  and  accepted  the  position. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  a  temperance  revival 
of  stupendous  proportions  occurred  in  Cheyenne.  A  preacher 
named  Guy  Allen  from  Colorado — a  former  resident  of  Wyo- 
ming, however — appeared  in  Cheyenne  and  held  a  series  of 
meetings  at  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  for  more  than  four  weeks 
this  truly  able  and  eloquent  temperance  exhorter  spoke  every 
evening  at  that  place  to  crowded  houses.  More  than  1300 
people  who  had  been  addicted  to  the  habit  of  drinking — some 
to  excess,  and  others  moderately — signed  the  temperance 
pledge.  Open  air  meetings  were  also  held  every  Sunday.  Such 
a  marked  effect  did  this  temperance  revival  have  that  even 
business  in  the  police  courts  was  almost  suspended.  There 
were  at  that  time  sixty-six  places  in  the  city  where  liquor  was 
sold  at  wholesale  or  retail,  and  in  a  few  months  there  were  not 

;").     Now  Pioneer  Avenue. 


HISTOEY  OF  WYOMING,  WKITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       75 

to  exceed  one-half  that  number  due  in  part  to  this  great  tem- 
perance revival. 

There  was  much  building  done  in  the  city  during  the 
season  of  1877,  but  it  was  mostly  confined  to  the  erection  of 
private  residences.  About  the  middle  of  August  a  water  spout 
broke  on  the  plains  just  north  of  the  city,  and  while  the  fall  of 
rain  in  the  city  itself  was  not  large,  yet  in  a  short  space  of 
time  the  principal  streets  resembled  rushing  rivers  of  water. 
Many  basements  in  the  city  were  filled  with  water,  and  a  large 
amount  of  damage  was  done.  On  this  occasion  the  water  was 
nearly  eighteen  inches  in  depth  in  front  of  the  Carey  Block 
on  Seventeenth  Street,  and  although  it  was  hoped  that  a  similar 
flood  would  never  visit  the  city  again,  two  or  three  times 
within  the  succeeding  four  years  the  same  thing  happened 
again  until  by  ditches,  etc.,  excavated  out  on  the  plains  north 
of  the  city  a  safeguard  was  provided. 

During  the  summer,  the  Cheyenne  Gazette,  a  daily  paper, 
was  started  in  Cheyenne  by  Messrs.  C.  W.  Bramel,  Es(|.,  A.  R. 
Johnson,  and  a  Mr.  Webster,  the  former  being  the  editor.  This 
paper  was  conducted  successfully  for  a  number  of  months  when 
it  was  removed  to  Deadwood,  D.  T.,  by  Messrs.  Webster  and 
Johnson. 

The  Hornet,  a  very  small  but  sprightly  daily  paper,  also 
made  its  appearance  about  the  same  time,  its  editor  and  pro- 
prietor being  Willie  Crook  (now  Dr.  Crook),  a  mere  boy,  but 
an  unusually  gifted  one,  and  a  son  of  Dr.  J.  J.  Crook  then  a 
resident  of  Cheyenne.  Following  this  came  The  Spur,  its  editor 
and  proprietor  being  J.  Wilde  Harding,  which  was  also  a  daily 
paper.  Neither  of  these  two  papers  were  published  very  long. 
This  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Cheyenne  that  five 
daily  papers  were  published  at  the  same  time. 

J.  Wilde  Harding  was  a  singular  character,  and  possessed 
many  commendable  traits  of  character.  He  came  to  Cheyenne 
in  the  capacity  of  "telegraph  editor"  of  the  Cheyeinie  Da  ill/ 
Leader,  and  was  much  given  to  dress.  Not  holding  his  position 
very  long  on  the  Leader,  and  as  he  could  get  nothing  else  to  do. 
he  fitted  up  a  chair  at  the  "Tivoli"  and  embarked  in  business 
as  a  boot  black.  People  who  had  theretofore  positively  disliked 
the  young  man  at  once  began  to  respect  him,  and  he  very  soon 
had  many  influential  friends.  It  was  by  this  means  that  he 
was  enabled  to  start  The  Hornet,  but  being  of  a  naturally  rov- 
ing disposition  he  soon  discontinued  the  publication  of  The 
Hornet  and  went  to  Colorado,  where  he  died  in  about  two  years. 

The  election  for  members  of  the  legislature  occurred  in 
September  again  in  1877.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the 
time  for  holding  the  election  for  county  officers  had  been  by 


76 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


an  act  of  the  legislature  in  1875  fixed  for  the  first  Tuesday  in 
November  on  each  recurring  "general  election"  year;  the  date 
of  holding  the  legislative  election  had  been  left  as  formerly. 
(By  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  '79,  and  which  took  effect  the 
following  year,  the  delegate  in  congress,  county  officers,  and 
members  of  the  legislature  are  now  elected  on  the  same  day.) 
Under  this  arrangement  legislative  members  elected  in  the  fall 
of  1880  did  not  convene  until  January,  1882.  Those  elected  in 
the  fall  of  1882  did  not  meet  until  January,  1884,  and  those 
elected  at  the  general  election  in  November  of  that  year  did 
not  assemble  until  January  12,  1886. 

The  result  of  the  legislative  election  in  September,  1877, 
was  as  follows : 

Council J.  H.  Keller 1395  votes 

T.  Dyer... 1129 

Herman  Haas 1085 

A.  H.  Swan 1081 

L.  Murrin 1042 

J.  S.  Taylor 868 

S.  M.  Preshaw 813 

G.  W.  Corey 760 

House  of  Representatives.. ..J.  E.  Davis 1820 

Peter   Hamma ....1671 

D.  C.  Tracy 1431 

Andrew   Ryan 1117 

R.  F.  Glover... 1089 

Peter  McKay 1077 

H.  H.  Helphenstine....  948 

G.  D.  Fogelsing 904 

P.  J.  McNamara 894 

H.  Conley... 870 

Charles  Hecht 835 

H.  Kimme 828 

J.  H.  Bowman 739 

L.  C.  Stevens. 703 

N.  Weeks —  ..  571 

J.  P.  C.  Poulton 502 

John  F.  Coad...... 474 

J.  V.  Swift 473 


The  legislature  (the  5th)  which  convened  in  Bon's  Block 
on  Sixteenth  Street  early  in  November  enacted  a  new  lien  law'' 
for  Laramie  county  at  the  instigation  of  the  Avorking  men's 
organization,  which  subsequently  proved  to  be  the  best  law  of 
the  kind  ever  enacted  in  Wyoming.     Hons.  A.  H.  Swan  and 

6.     Session  Laws  of  Wyoming,  1877,  Mechanic's  Lien,  pages  77-82. 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       77 

J.  N.  Keller  in  the  Council,  and  Hon.  Peter  Hamma  in  the 
house  of  representatives,  were  the  chief  engineers  of  the  bill 
in  their  respective  branches  of  the  legislature.  Some  new  and 
much  needed  legislation  on  the  subject  of  the  "protection, 
care  and  herding  of  stock  "'^  was  obtained. 

This  legislature  also  passed  an  act  granting  a  new  charter 
to  the  City  of  Cheyenne  which  will  be  mentioned  in  the  next 
chapter  as  well  as  several  matters  pertaining  to  the  first  elec- 
tion held  thereunder. 

Attention  must  now  be  turned  to  other  portions  of  the 
county  where  stirring  events  happened  during  the  spring,  sum- 
mer and  fall  of  1877.  A  consideration  of  these  matters  in- 
volves an  account  of  the  exploits  of  the  "road  agents"  (high- 
way robbers)  which  began  in  the  spring  of  1877,  and  as  their 
operations  continued  until  and  during  the  season  of  1878, 
these  also  will  be  referred  to  before  passing  to  other  matters, 
though  it  takes  the  reader  a  little  out  of  the  regular  order,  and 
down  to  a  period  of  time  in  the  history  of  events  not  as  yet 
considered  in  a  general  way. 

Rich  quartz  and  placer  gold  mines  having  been  discovered 
and  opened  in  the  year  1876  at  Deadwood  and  elsewhere  in  the 
Black  Hills  country,  a  most  flourishing  mining  camp  was 
started  at  the  above  mentioned  place,  which  fact  induced  the 
formation  of  the  Cheyenne  and  Black  Hills  Stage  Company 
of  which  Mr.  Luke  Voorhees,  now  of  Cheyenne,  became  the 
very  efficient  superintendent,  and  at  once  a  line  of  coaches 
was  put  upon  the  route  between  Cheyenne  and  Deadwood. 

In  due  time  the  shipment  of  gold  from  Deadwood  to  Chey- 
enne began,  and  with  this  the  "road  agents'"  made  their  ap- 
pearance and  began  their  depredations  principally  along 
through  what  in  those  days  was  known  as  the  "Cheyenne 
river  country."  It  could  not  reasonably  be  expected  that 
within  the  space  alloted  specific  mention  can  be  made  of  every- 
thing of  interest  which  transpired  during  tlie  "road  agent 
days."    Only  the  most  important  events  can  be  mentioned. 

The  road  agents  first  began  their  depredations  in  ]\Iay, 
1877,  and  within  a  few  weeks  robbed  the  passengers  and 
coaches  several  times  between  the  Cheyenne  river  aiul  Dead- 
wood.  Their  operations  were  mostly  confined  ti>  attacks  on 
the  "treasure  coach." 

The  "agents"  would  have  advisers  in  Deadwooil  who 
would  speedily  inform  them  when  a  shipment  of  gold  or  other 
valuables  was  to  be  made,  and  being  forewarned  they  could, 
of  course,  make  no  mistake  in  regard  to  the  right  one.  While 
the  treasure  coach  was  the  object  of  this  especial  solicitude 
at  first,  later  on  in  the  "campaign"  they  would  attack  nearly 

7.     Ibid.     Stock,  pages  124-1:27. 


78  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

everything  that  carried  passengers.  The  leader  of  the  agents 
for  a  number  of  months  was  "Dunk"  Blackburn,  who  before 
that  time  resided  for  a  year  or  two  in  Cheyenne  and  was  con- 
sidered to  be  a  hard  working,  honest,  straightforward  man. 
But  he  fell  into  bad  company  while  in  Deadwood,  and  being  at 
first  induced  to  assist  in  stealing  ponies  from  the  Indians,  he 
at  last  went  a  step  farther  and  became  a  road  agent  and  event- 
ually the  leader  of  the  gang. 

One  of  the  first  deeds  of  violence  committed  by  the  road 
agents  was  the  killing  of  "Johnnie"  Slaughter,  a  son  of  J.  N. 
Slaughter,  then  of  Cheyenne.  He  was  one  of  the  stage  driVers, 
and  while  going  into  Deadwood  on  March  25,  1877,  and  when 
but  two  miles  from  that  place,  he  was  shot  and  instantly  killed, 
the  horses  running  away  and  not  stopping  until  they  arrived 
in  the  town.  The  agents  got  nothing  on  this  occasion,  but  had 
expected  to  intercept  Hon.  M.  E.  Post  with  a  large  amount  of 
money.  Someone  composed  some  verses  which  were  set  to 
music  on  the  death  of  young  Slaughter,  and  they  were  fre- 
quently sung  in  the  Variety  Theatres  in  Cheyenne  and  Dead- 
wood  for  some  months.  May  15,  1877,  the  passenger  coach  was 
attacked  by  a  band  of  "agents"  at  a  point  appropriately 
termed  "Robbers  Roost"  between  Lightning  Creek  and  the 
Cheyenne  river.  The  robbers  had  the  best  of  the  situation, 
and  the  passengers,  among  whom  were  two  gentlemen  by  the 
name  of  Smith  from  New  York,  a  merchant  from  Chicago  whose 
name  has  not  been  remembered,  Daniel  Finn,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Bough- 
ton  of  Cheyenne,  and  two  or  three  others.  The  passengers,  with 
the  exception  of  Mrs.  Boughton,  were  made  to  (get)  out  of  the 
coach  and  form  in  line  with  their  hands  up,  while  some  of  the 
robbers  stood  by  with  guns  or  revolvers  pointed  at  the  passen- 
gers ;  others  passed  along  the  line  and  took  everything  of  value 
which  they  had  with  them.  While  this  was  going  on  Dan  Finn, 
having  a  revolver  in  his  pocket,  drew  it  and  fired  quite  badly, 
wounding  one  of  the  agents  named  Brown  in  the  head.  This 
was  the  signal  for  a  general  melee,  and  as  many  as  fifteen 
shots  were  fired  altogether.  Finn  was  badly  wounded  in  the 
face,  the  Chicago  merchant  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  arm. 
and  G.  S.  Smith  (one  of  the  two  brothers)  so  badlj^  wounded 
that  he  died  in  a  few  days  after  reaching  his  home.  In  the 
meantime  the  horses  attached  to  the  coach  took  fright,  ran 
away  and  did  not  stop  until  they  reached  the  station  at  Chey- 
enne river,  more  than  four  miles  away.  A  fellow  called 
"Lengthy"  Johnson  was  the  leader  of  the  agents  on  this  occa- 
sion and  fired  the  shot  which  took  effect  on  Finn.  He  was 
afterwards  arrested  and  tried  in  the  district  court  at  Cheyenne 
but  was  acquitted. 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       79 

On  the  4th  day  of  August  the  southern  bound  coach  was 
stopped  and  the  passengers  robbed  between  the  head  of  Beaver 
creek  and  Jenny's  Stockade  by  three  men  who  were  after- 
wards alleged  to  be  James  Wirdom,  C.  H.  Webb,  and  John 
Connor,  who  were  subsequently  captured  in  Deadwood  and 
brought  to  Cheyenne  for  trial.  When  captured  in  Deadwood, 
a  shooting  match  between  Boone  May  (one  of  the  stage  mes- 
sengers, and  who  was  aboard  of  the  coach  when  the  robbery 
occurred)  in  which  Webb  was  (iuite  badly  wounded.  When 
the  trial  took  place  in  Cheyemie,  the  jury  disagreed  three 
times,  and  they  were  finally  released  from  custody.  Several 
other  robberies  took  place  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1877, 
nearly  all  of  them  in  the  vicinity  of  Lightning  creek  and  the 
Cheyenne  river.  "Dunk"  Blackburn,  who  by  this  time  associ- 
ated with  himself  in  his  leadership  of  the  road  agents  a  man 
named  Wall,  had  become  so  notorious  that  large  rewards  were 
offered  for  his  capture  by  the  stage  company,  and  the  country 
in  which  he  had  been  operating  became  too  warm  for  him. 
Such  being  the  case,  he  and  Wall  resoWed  to  get  out  of  the 
country  to  Arizona  as  soon  as  possible.  They  struck  across 
the  country  in  the  direction  of  Green  River,  Wyoming,  but 
were  followed  by  Scott  Davis,  one  of  the  most  daring  and 
fearless  of  the  messengers  then  in  the  service  of  the  company. 
Davis  followed  them  for  nearly  four  hundred  miles,  night  and 
day,  and  finally  overhauled  them  in  the  night  within  al)out  ten 
miles  of  Green  River.  They  were  asleep  under  a  liaystaek  when 
found,  and  Davis,  to  make  sure  of  their  capture,  went  into 
Green  River  and  obtained  assistance.  Returning  with  two 
officers  they  undertook  to  capture  the  two  agents,  and  did 
capture  Wall.  "Dunk,"  however,  escaped,  but  without  his 
boots  on.  Although  it  was  then  winter  weather,  he  succeeded 
in  making  his  way  to  one  of  the  railroad  stations,  having  torn 
up  an  under  garment  and  tied  the  remnants  aroinul  his  feet. 
He  was  subse(iuently  captured,  however,  brought  to  Cheyenne, 
tried  and  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  ten 
years.     Wall's  sentence  was  two  years  less. 

In  October  a  young  man  named  Ponce  Reins  (usually 
called  Fonce  Ryan)  who  had  served  two  short  terms  in  the 
penitentiary,  stole  a  horse  from  L.  R.  Bresnahen  in  Cheyenne 
and  went  north  for  the  purpose  of  joining  the  road  agents. 
He  fell  in  with  a  man  luimed  liabcoek  above  Port  Laramie  and 
pressed  him  into  service,  at  first  tying  Babcock's  feet  together 
so  that  he  could  not  get  off*  liis  lun-se.  Babcock,  however,  soon 
got  bravely  over  his  aversion  to  turning  road  agent,  and  the 
two  stopped  the  coach  but  a  few  miles  from  Port  Laramie  and 
robbed  the  passengers,  among  whom  was  Col.  W.  F.  Swevzey. 
then  IT.  S.  Marshal  for  Wyoming.     This  was  the  most  daring 


80  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

robbery  that  had  occurred  up  to  that  time,  and  a  squad  of 
cavalry  was  sent  out  from  Fort  Laramie  under  the  command 
of  Lieut.  Chase,  who  overhauled  and  captured  the  two  near 
the  "Government  farm"  (so  called  from  the  fact  that  in  early 
years  the  military  authorities,  at  Fort  Laramie  had  used  it  for 
a  hay  ranch,  etc.).  They 'were  brought  to  Cheyenne  and  tried 
on  several  charges  (for  this  was  not  the  only  robbery  the  two 
committed),  Fonce  being  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  seven- 
teen and  Babcock  for  ten  years. 

Although  the  stage  company,  under  the  able  management 
of  Superintendent  Luke  Voorhees,  did  all  that  was  possible  to 
do  to  put  a  stop  to  these  depredations,  even  having  men  out 
scouring  the  country  and  camping  out  as  did  the  agents  them- 
selves, yet,  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  made  to  suppress  and  put 
a  stop  to  this  kind  of  work,  the  depredations  were  repeated 
in  1878. 

July  16,  1878,  the  stage  was  stopped  near  the  Cheyenne 
river,  and  the  passengers  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Snow  and  a 
brother  of  Mrs.  Snow  were  robbed  of  their  valuables.  Capt. 
E.  S.  Smith,  one  of  the  company's  messengers,  was  aboard  of 
the  coach  on  this  occasion,  and  he  also  was  robbed,  but  recov- 
ered nearly  everything  taken  from  him  later  on. 

July  25th  the  treasure  coach  which  was  going  toward 
Deadwood,  and  to  which  the  passengers  on  the  regular  coach 
had  been  transferred  at  Lance  creek,  encountered  sir  road 
agents.  Captain  E.  S.  Smith,  one  of  the  daring  messengers  of 
the  company,  being  with  the  coach,  but  riding  on  his  horse  a 
short  distance  ahead.  The  robbers  were  behind  a  clump  of 
bushes  when  discovered,  and  although  the  coach  passed  in 
safety,  the  bandits  opened  fire  on  Smith.  About  eighty  shots 
in  all  were  fired,  Smith's  horse  being  killed,  and  his  body  after- 
wards used  by  the  messengers  as  a  breastwork.  One  of  the 
robbers  was  hit,  but  not  seriously  injured.  Finally  the  road 
agents  desisted,  and  the  coach  with  its  brave  defender  passed  on. 

The  following  from  the  Cheyenne  Daily  Leader  of  July  27, 
1878,  will  explain  the  affair  more  fully : 

(Special  Telegram  to  the  Leader) 

"Deadwood,  D.  T.,  July  26,  1878. 

Passengers  on  the  coach  that  arrived  from  Cheyenne  tonight  report 
that  Capt.  E.  S.  Smith,  the  messenger  accompanying  the  coach,  engaged 
single  handed  in  a  contest  with  six  road  agents,  and  after  a  fight  of 
about  half  an  hour,  and  the  discharge  of  fifty  shots  on  the  part  of  the 
road  agents,  and  about  thirty  by  Smith,  the  road  agents  left  without 
molesting  the  coach.  Smith 's  horse  was  shot  under  him  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  firing.  The  passengers  are  profuse  in  their  com- 
mendations of  the  Captain's  bravery  and  courage." 


HISTOEY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       81 

September  26,  1878,  the  treasure  coach  was  attacked  also 
near  the  Cheyenne  River,  and  after  a  brush  with  the  agents  in 
which  messengers  Smith  and  Hill  were  both  slightly  wounded, 
the  coach  was  taken  possession  of  and  robbed  of  $27,000,  part 
of  which  was  subsequently  recovered,  and  still  later  in  the 
season  a  band  of  road  agents  came  in  at  the  stage  station  known 
as  "Cold  Spring^'  and  by  some  as  "Spring  on  the  Hill,"  and 
concealing  themselves  in  the  barn  opened  fire  on  the  treasure 
coach  when  it  came  in  from  the  direction  of  Deadwood,  and  a 
telegraph  operator  who  was  accompanying  it  was  killed.  Scott 
Davis,  the  captor  of  "Dunk"  Blackburn  was  with  this  coach, 
and  it  seems  that  they  mistook  Campbell  for  him,  as  they  had 
all  taken  a  solemn  oath  to  kill  Davis  at  the  first  opportunity. 
Davis  fought  them  as  best  he  could,  but  was  finally  compelled 
to  abandon  the  coach  to  them.  They  ran  the  coach  away  into 
the  timber,  and  after  a  vast  amount  of  trouble  succeeded  in 
forcing  open  the  treasure  box,  but  obtained  very  little  of  value. 
Other  depredations  were  committed  during  the  fall  of  1878, 
some  of  them  nearly  as  far  south  on  the  road  as  Hat  creek 
(War  Bonnet  being  the  Indian  name),  but  eventually  the 
treasure  coach  was  withdrawn  from  the  route,  and  placed  on 
the  Sidney  line  to  Deadwood. 

Many  of  these  desperadoes  were  eventually  caught,  and 
scarcely  one  escaped  paying  a  penalty  of  some  kind.  In  addition 
to  several  who  were  captured,  tried  and  convicted  at  the  No- 
vember, 1877,  term  of  court  in  Cheyenne,  and  which  have  not 
been  mentioned,  several  others  were  arrested,  brought  to  Chey- 
enne and  tried  in  the  fall  of  1878,  among  whom  was  Al. 
Spears  who  certified  to  having  .been  with  the  road  agents  on 
the  occasion  when  Campbell  was  killed.  He  pleaded  guilty 
to  murder  in  the  second  degree,  and  was  seuteiiced' to  the 
penitentiary  for  life. 

Two  other  incidents  will  b*  mentioned  after  which  the 
subject  of  road  agents  will  be  dropped.  In  T~)ecember,  1878, 
tliree  road  agents  who  had  been  arrested  in  the  l>lack  Hills 
were  brought  to  Cheyenne  for  trial,  and  it  having  been  ascer- 
tained that  their  crime  was  committed  in  Dakota  Territory, 
tliey  were  sent  from  Cheyenne  under  a  strong  guard  back  on 
tlie  road  to  Deadwood,  but  when  a  short  distance  beyond  Fort 
Ijaramie  a  gang  of  masked  men  took  them  from  the  coach  in 
which  they  were  being  transported,  and  hung  them  to  a  tree 
by  the  roadside.  At  about  the  same  time  Boone  ^lay,  one  of 
tlie  stage  company's  most  elficient  messengers,  came  to  Cheyenne 
and  claimed  the  reward  of  $250.00  which  had  been  offered  by 
the  Laramie  county  commissioners  for  the  capture  of  certain 
road  agents  "dead  or  alive"  and  explained  that  in  one  of  the 


82  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

encounters  with  the  road  agents  he  had  killed  one,  and  had 
buried  him  beside  the  road.  The  commissioners  declined  to 
allow  his  claim  for  a  reward  until  he  produced  further  proof 
of  the  killing.  Boone  said  nothing,  but  returned  to  the  hills. 
In  a  few  days  he  came  back  to  Cheyenne,  and  left  a  gunny 
sack  containing  something  at  the  "Revolution"  store  kept  by 
Hon.  Henry  Harrington,  now  president  of  the  Cheyenne  city 
council.  In  a  few  days  it  was  noticed  that  the  gunny  sack  did 
not  smell  very  sweet,  but  nothing  was  said.  When  the  board 
of  commissioners  met  again  Boone  took  the  gunny  sack  to  the 
court  house,  and  there  exhibited  to  the  astonished  gaze  of  the 
members  of  the  board  the  head  of  the  road  agent  whom  he  had 
killed.    He  got  the  reward  this  time  without  any  difficulty. 

(To  be  Continued) 


ACCESSIONS 

to  the 

WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

October  1,  1941  to  January  1,  1042 

Miscellaneous  Gifts 
Smith,   Governor  Xels  H.,   Cheyenne,   Wyoming — Framed   sheet   of   Wyo- 
ming Commemorative  stamps  on  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  State- 
hood. 

Henderson,  Harry  B.,  Sr.,  Clieyenne,  Wyoming — Collection  of  three  hun- 
dred twenty-nine  Capitol  Avenue  Theater  Programs  collected  from 
November,  1911,  to  January,  1923,  by  the  late  Mrs.  Henderson.  One 
copy  of  The  Lariat,  1909,  one  Woman's  Club  of  Cheyenne  Program, 
1915-1916,  and  five  pictures  of  Indians  in  color. 

Goossens,  John,  Chicago,  Illinois — Autographed  copy  of  song  "Frontier 
Days  in  Gay  Cheyenne"  written  in   1910  liy  Mr.  Goossens. 

Goodspeed  's  Book  Shop,  Boston,  Massachusetts — Receipt  roll  of  clothing 
issued  to  enlisted  men  of  the  Hospital  Corps,  U.  S.  Army,  by  I^ouis 
Brechenun,  Assisting  Surgeon,  U.  S.  Army,  at  Fort  Laramie,  Wyo- 
ming Territory,  1888. 

Wyoming  Board  of  Supplies,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Penitentiary  Com- 
missioners Seal  for  Wyoming  Territory. 

Taylor,  Ed  P.,  Chevenne,  Wyoming — Fire  Chief 's  helmet  presented  to 
Mr.  Taylor  about  1912. 

Gereke,  A.  J.,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Notary  Commission  from  Governor 
Bryant  B.  Brooks  to  F.  W.  Munn,  August  23,  1908. 

Newton,  L.  L.,  Lander,  Wyoming — One  copy  each:  Chei/cnne  DaHij 
Leader,  July  2,  1892;   Cheyenne  Daihi  Leader,  August  31,  1894. 


Pictures — Gifts 

Farlow,  E.  J.,  Lander,  Wyoming — Photograiih  of  the  skull  of  Harvey 
Morgan,  killed  in  1870  near  Lander,  Wyoming,  showing  wagon  ham- 
mer driven  into  skull. 

Newton,  L.  L.,  Lander,  Wyoming — Five  pictures  of  the  ceremony  at  the 
dedication  of  the  Sacajawea  marker  near  Fort  Washakie,  Wyoming, 
September  15,  1941. 

Johnson,  Mrs.  Jessamine  Spear,  Kirby,  Montana — Picture  of  the  ^ledi- 
cine  Wheel,  Big  Horn  Mountains,  Wyoming. 

Hiscock,  F.  J.,  Cody,  Wyoming — Fourteen  photographs:  live  pliotograi>hs 
of  the  Tepee  Rings,  Cody,  Wyoming;  five  photographs  at  the  De 
Maris  Springs,  Cody,  Wyoming,  one  showing  Colonel  W.  F.  Cody  and 
party;  four  pictures  of  the  Frost  Cave,  Shoslione  National  :Monu- 
ment,  two  of  these  showing  Colonel  Cody  escorting  the  first  ladies 
to  visit  and  enter  the  cave. 


84  .         ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

ITaynes,  Jack  Ellis,  Yellowstone  Park,  Wyoming — Seventeen  photo- 
graphs: one  map  of  route  taken  by  President  Arthur's  party  to 
Yellowstone  Park,  1883;  President  Arthur  and  party;  twelve  pictures 
of  the  camp  sites  and  country  traversed;  one  picture  of  Fort  Wash- 
akie in  1883;  two  pictures  of  Shoshone  and  Arapahoe  Indip.ns,  Fort 
Washakie,   1883. 

Books — Gifts 
University    of    Wyoming,    Sponsor,    Wyoming    Archaeological    Project — 
Works    Project    Administration.      Archaeological    Quarterly    Eeports 
in  two  typewritten  volumes,  January  through  June,  1939. 

Sowers,  Ted  C,  Supervisor,  Wyoming  Archaeological  Project — Works 
Project  Administration.     The  Wyoming  Archaeological  Survey.  1941. 

Author — lUnion  Pacific  Railroad.  Intermountain  Industrial  Properties  of 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  in  Idaho,  Utah,  Wyoming,  Colorado.  1941. 


Books — Purcliased 

Allen,  William  A.— The  Sheep  Eaters.  1913. 
Brewerton,  George  Douglas — Overland  with  Kit  Carson.  1941. 
Chaffin,  Lorah  B.— Sons  of  the  West.  1941. 
Frackelton,  Dr.  Will— Sagebrush  Dentist.   1941. 
Hill,  J.  L.— The  End  of  the  Cattle  Trail.  1941. 
Holman,  Albert  M. — Pioneering  in  the  Northwest.  1941. 
Lockley,  Fred — Across  the  Plains  by  Prairie  Schooner.  1941. 
Riley,  W.  C— The  Official  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Guide.  1893. 
Peters,  Dewitt  C — Kit  Carson's  Life  and  Adventures.    1941. 
Seymour,   Silas — Incidents   of   a  Trip   Through   the   Great  Platte  Valley. 
1941. 


^nnals  of  Wyoming 

ol.  14  April,  1942  o  C^^'^  ^'o-  2 


cc 


A  HISTORICAL  MAGAZ] 


v\t- 


Courtesii  of  Jurk-  Ellis  Hai/nes 

NORRIS  HOTEL  FROM  GIBBON  RIVER.  YELLOWSTONE  NATIONAL  PARK. 

Januaiy,  18S7.    Photo  liy  Frniik  Jay  Haynos.    Sfi.'  y:\ffe  9. 


Published  Quartorly 

By 
THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Cheyenne,  Wyoniing 


Metals  of  Wyom'mg 

Vol.  14  AdHI,  1942  No.  2 


Contents 


Page 
THE  FIRST  WINTER  TRIP  THROUGH  YELLOWSTONE 

NATIONAL    PARK 89 

By  Jack  Ellis  Hayues 

THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY 98 

NIOBRARA  COUNTY  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION 128 

By  Helen  Willson 

HOW,  WHEN  AND  WHY  THE  OLD  BEARTOOTH  STOCKADE? 138 

By  J.  K.  Rollinson 

DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT 140 

HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT, 
PIONEER  HISTORIAN,  AND  HERETOFORE 
UNPUBLISHED,    CONCLUSION 141 

WYOMING   PLACE    NAMES 158 

ACCESSIONS  to  the  Wyoming  Historical  Department 163 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

NORRIS  HOTEL  FROM  GIBBON  RIVER,  YELLOWSTONE 

NATIONAL  PARK Front   Cover 

LOWER  FALLS  OF  THE  YELLOWSTONE 88 

PARTY  AT  OBSIDIAN  CLIFF 90 

UPPER  GEYSER  BASIN  FROM  CASTLE  GEYSER 92 

CANYON    HOTEL :. 94 

PARTY  AT  YANCEY  CABIN,  PLEASANT  VALLEY 97 

MR.  AND  MRS.  WILLIS  M.  SPEAR 99 

WYOMING  STATE  MUSEUM— 1942 162 


Published  Quarterly  by 

THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Clieyenne,  Wyoming 


The  State  Historical  Board,  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board 
and  the  State  Historical  Dei^artment  assumes  no  responsibility  for  any 
statement  of  fact  or  opinion  expressed  bv  contributors  to  the  ANXALS 
OF  WYOMING. 


The  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department  invites  the  presentation 
of  museum  items,  letters,  diaries,  family  histories  and  -manuscripts  of 
Wyoming  citizens.  It  welcomes  the  writings  and  observations  of  those 
familiar  with  important  and  significant  events  in  the  State's  history. 

In  all  ways  the  Department  strives  to  present  to  the  people  of  Wyo- 
ming and  the  Nation  a  true  picture  of  the  State.  The  historical  maga- 
zine, ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  is  one  medium  through  which  the 
Department  seeks  to  gain  this  objective.  All  communications  concerning 
the  ANNALS  should  be  addressed  to  Mrs.  Gladys  F.  Eiley,  Wyoming 
Historical  Department,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming. 


This  magazine  is  sent  free  of  charge  to  all  State  Officials,  heads  of 
State  Departments,  members  of  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board, 
Wyoming  County  Lil>raries  and  Wyoming  newspapers. 

It  is  published  in  January,  April,  July  and  October.  Subscription 
price,  $1.00  per  year;  single  copies,  35c. 


Entered  as  second-class  matter  September  10,  1941,  at  the  Post  Office  in  Cheyenne, 
Wyoming,  under  the  Act  of  August   24,   1912. 


Copyright,    1942.    by   the   Wyoming   Historical   Department. 


STATE  HISTORICAL  BOARD 

Nels   H.    Smith,    Presdent Governor 

Lester  C.  Hunt Secretary  of  State 

Wm.  "Scotty"  Jack State  Auditor 

Mart  T.  Cliristensen State  Treasurer 

Esther  L.  Anderson      ....      Superintendent   of  Public  Instruction 
Gladys  P.  Eiley,  Secretary      ....      State  Librarian  and  Historian 


STATE  HISTORICAL  ADVISORY  BOARD 


Mrs.  Mary  Jester  Allen,  Cody 

Prank  Barrett,  Lusk 

George  Bible,  Eawlins 

Mrs.  T.  K.  Bishop,  Basin 

C.  Watt  Brandon,  Kemmerer 

J.  Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee 

Struthers  Burt,  Moran 

Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byron,  Sheridan 

Mrs.  G.  C.  Call,  Afton 

Oliver  J.  Colyer,  Torrington 

J.  L.  Cook,  Sundance 

Mrs.  Esther  Crook,  Pairview 

William  C.  Deniing,  Cheyenne 

Mrs.  Robert  Douglas,  Newcastle 

Dr.  William  Ffackelton,  Sheridan 

Paul  Pl-ison,  Ten  Sleep 

E.  A.  Gaensslen,  Green  River 

Hans  Gautschi,  Lusk 

Burt  Griggs,  Buffalo 

G.  R.  Hagens,  Casper 

R.  H.  Hall,  Lander 

Jack  Haynes,  Yellowstone  Park 

D.  B.  Hilt 


L.  B.  Howard,  Rock  Springs 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hunter,  Gillette 
Mrs.  Joseph  H.Jaeobueei,  Green  River 
P.  W.  Jenkins,  Big  Piney 
E.  V.  Knight,  Laramie 
W.  C.  Laurence,  Moran 
E.  A.  Logan,  Chevenne 
Howard  B.  Lott,  Buffalo 
Mrs.  Eliza  Lythgoe,  Cowley 
R.  E.  MacLeod,  Torrington 
James  L.  Mcintosh,  Split  Rock 
A.  J.  Mokler,  Casper 
Mrs.  Elmer  K.  Nelson,  Laramie 
L.  L.  Newton,  Lander 
R.  I.  dinger,  Newcastle 
Charles  Oviatt,  Sheridan 
Mrs.  Minnie  Reitz,  Wheatland 
E.  B.  Shaffner,  Douglas 
Mrs.  Eflie  Shaw,  Cody 
Mrs.  Tom  Sun,  Rawlins 
John  Charles  Thompson,  Cheyenne 
Russell  Thorp,  Cheyenne 
on,  Sundance 


STAFF  PERSONNEL 

OF 

THE   WYOMING   HISTORICAL   DEPARTMENT 

AND 

STATE   MUSEUM 


Gladys  P.  Riley,  Editor 
Lola  M.  Homsher,  Co-Editor 


State  Librarian   and   Historian 
Assistant  Historian 


Courtesy  of  Jaeh  Ellis  Saynes 


LOWER  FALLS  OF  THE  YELLOWSTONE, 

January,  1887.    Photo  by  F.  Jay  Haynes. 


Zke  Tirst  Winter  Zrip  Zk rough 
yellows  tone  J^atioml  Park 

By  Jack  Ellis  Haynes" 

The  exceptionally  severe  winter  of  1886-7  which  raised  havoc 
with  cattle  and  other  livestock,  railroad  communications  and 
settlers  on  the  windswept  plains  of  Wyoming  and  Montana  Ter- 
ritories, so  ably  described  by  Alfred  Larson,^  found  a  little 
party  of  skiers  laboriously  traveling  through  the  mountainous 
Yellowstone  National  Park,  taking  midwinter  photographs. 

The  January,  1887,  meteorological  observations,-  which  have 
to  do  with  this  story,  reveal  that  at  Mammoth  Hot  Spring's  it 
snowed  on  twenty-three  days  during  that  month,  with  a  total 
snowfall  of  seventy-seven  inches ;  depth  at  the  close  of  the  month, 
eighteen  inches;  the  lowest  temperature  being  twenty-one  de- 
grees below  zero ;  the  greatest  wind  velocity  a  ' '  gale ' ',  which  is 
usually  interpreted  as  twenty-five  to  seventy-five  miles  per  hour. 
Mammoth  is  at  a  relatively  low  elevation.  It  is  common  knowl- 
edge that  at  higher  elevations  in  the  Park,  the  amount  of  snow- 
fall and  the  force  of  the  wind  are  usually  greater,  and  the 
temperature  lower  than  observations  at  Mammoth  show. 

Lieutenant  Frederick  Schwatka  (1849-1892),  famous  for  his 
Arctic  undertakings,  was  the  first  leader  of  the  Yellowstone 
Winter  Expedition  of  1887,  which  was  under  the  auspices  of  the 
'New  York  World,  for  M^hich  paper  he  was  to  write  a  story. 
Schwatka  encountered  extremely  cold  weather  in  the  Arctic 
reg'ions,  seventy  degrees  below  zero,^  but  the  Park  holds  the 
record  of  sixty-six  below  zero  in  the  continental  United  States, 
which  was  indicated  on  an  official  U.  S.  Weather  Bureau  ther- 
mometer at  Riverside  Station  at  an  elevation  of  approximately 
6,667  feet.^     On  the  same  day  at  Mammoth  Hot  Springs,  at  an 

*NOTE:  Jack  Ellis  Haynes  is  a  photographer  with  studios  in  Yellow- 
stone National  Park,  Wyoming,  and  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  For  further 
biographical  data  see  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  January.  1942, 
page  31. 

All  pictures  aecompaning  this  article  have  been  furnished  through 
the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Haynes  and  were  taken  by  liis  father,  Frank  Jay 
Haynes,  January,  18S7. — Ed. 

1.  Larson,  Alfred,  Ph.  D.,  "The  Winter  of  1886-87  in  Wvoniing", 
ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  January,  1942.  p.  5. 

2.  Harris,  Captain  Moses,  Acting  Superintendent,  Ecport  of  Yellow- 
stone  Pari:,  August  20,  1887. 

8.     "Polar  Regions,"  Encych>pedia  Britannica,  1911,  Vol.  21,  p.  949. 
4.     U.    S.    Weather   Bureau    JRecords,    Yellowstone    Park,    on    February 
9,  1933. 


P    rQ 

M 

CQ  o 

§J 

P-i 
<1    . 


FIEST  WINTER  TEIP  THROUGH  YELLOWSTONE  PARK         91 

elevation  of  6,239  feet,  thirty-nine  and  six-tenths  degrees  below 
zero  was  recorded,  the  lowest  temperature  on  record  there. 

Two  or  three  of  the  eastern  friends  of  Schwatka  turned  back 
at  Livingston,  Montana  Territory,  where  Frank  Jay  Haynes,^ 
who  had  left  Fargo,  Dakota  Territory,  by  train  at  4:00  a.  m. 
December  30,  1886, ^  joined  the  party.  Between  there  and 
Cinnabar,  the  southern  terminus  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Rail- 
road's "Park  Branch",  which  was  three  miles  from  Gardiner 
at  the  northern  boundary  of  the  Park,  large  snowdrifts  which 
blocked  the  route  had  to  be  shoveled. 

The  start  of  the  winter  tour  was  made  from  Mammoth  Hot 
Springs  on  January  2,  1887,  by  a  party  of  eight  men  who,  it  was 
soon  learned,  were  far  too  elaborately  equipped.  The  outfit 
included  Arctic  sleeping  bags,  knapsacks,  fur  coats,  provisions, 
cooking  utensils,  astronomical  instruments,  thermometers,  photo- 
graphic cameras,  holders,  glass  plates,  changing  bag,  tripods, 
Norwegian  skis,  poles,  Canadian  web  snowshoes,  and  man-drawn 
toboggans  on  which  to  transport  the  dunnage. 

Skis,  which  proved  to  be  the  best  means  of  transportation, 
need  little  description  for  present  day  readers,  but  the  specifica- 
tions have  historical  significance.  The  skis  used  by  Haynes'^ 
measure  nine  feet  nine  inches  in  length,  and  the  pair  weighs 
thirteen  pounds ;  they  are  made  of  ash,  three  and  five-eights 
inches  wide,  and  the  part  under  the  foot  is  one  inch  thick.  Each 
is  fitted  with  a  looped  thong  or  strap  into  which  the  foot  is  slipped, 
and  the  underside  has  a  groove  from  tip  to  heel ;  like  modern 
skis  they  have  plenty  of  camber.  The  pole  used  in  1887  was 
a  round,  strong  stick  with  no  disc,  six  to  eight  feet  long ;  it  was 
used  to  maintain  balance  and  as  a  brake  to  check  the  speed  when 
descending  steep,  dangerous  slopes.  In  ascending,  a  tacking 
process  served  the  purpose  except  in  making  steeper  climbs, 
when  the  skier  wound  a  small  rope  around  the  left  ski  to  prevent 
backslidmg ;  abrupt  rises  were  negotiated  by  the  corduroy  step, 
side-stepping. 

"The  difficulties  of  snow-,shoe  (ski)  travel  in  the  Park,'' 
wrote  Captain  Harris,^  "are  such,  however,  that  it  is  not  to  be 
recommended  as  a  winter  diversion."  Referring  to  the  Avinter 
ski  trips  of  1887  and  1894,  Captain  Chittenden  wrote,  ".  .  . 
difficult   and   hazardous   nature   of   these   undertakings,'"'^    and 


5.  Photographer    with    studios    in    Yellowstone    National    Park    and 
Fargo,  Dakota  Territory. 

6.  Diary  of  Loa  V.  Snyder,  sister  of  Mrs.  F.  J.  Haynes.  December 
30,  1886. 

7.  Skis  used  by  F.  J.  Haynes  in  1887  are  now  in  Haynes'  collection. 

8.  Beport   of   Superintendent   of   Yellowstone   Notional   Pari-.   August 
20,  1887,  p.  4. 

9.  Chittenden,    Captain    H.    M.,    Yellowstone   Xotional    Park.    189.3,    p. 
108. 


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FIRST  WINTER  TRIP  THROUGH  YELLOWSTONE  PARK         93 

"The  art  of  traveling  by  snow-shoe  (ski)  is  about  the  most 
difficult  method  of  travel  known  and  is  rarely  resorted  to  except 
from  sheer  necessity.  "^"^ 

Since  Schwatka,  the  writer  of  the  party,  negotiated  only 
twenty  miles  of  the  journey,  the  facts  related  in  this  story  are 
drawn  from  other  sources  including  early  Haynes'  guidebooks^^ 
and  the  present  writer's  recollections  of  details  related  by  his 
father. 

When  the  party  started  the  thousand-foot  climb  to  Kingman 
Pass  (elevation  7,256  feet),  the  temperature  at  Mammoth  was 
only  slightly  below  freezing,  but  as  the  day  wore  on  it  grew 
steadily  colder,  and  when  nightfall  found  these  men  encamped 
at  Indian  Creek  in  Gardiner's  Hole,  eight  miles  from  Mammoth, 
the  cold  was  almost  unbearable.  That  night  it  reached  thirty- 
seven  degrees  below  zero. 

The  second  day  out,  January  third,  saw  little  progress 
made.  The  light  snow,  about  four  inches  deep,  lay  on  the 
harder  layers  below  and  made  dragging  the  toboggans  next  to 
impossible.  Camp  was  established  near  Obsidian  Cliff;  only 
four  miles  that  day,  four  miles  practically  level. 

The  morning  of  January  fourth  broke  clear,  and  a  photo- 
graph was  taken  of  the  party  with  Obsidian  Cliff  as  a  back- 
ground. By  nightfall  Norris  HoteP^  near  Norris  Geyser  Basin 
was  reached.  It  was  across  the  Gibbon  River  from  the  Soldier 
Station,  which  had  been  abandoned  for  the  winter.  The  party 
moved  into  the  hotel,  started  fires  and  enjoyed  the  first  com- 
fortable night  since  leaving  Mammoth.  Twenty  hard  miles  had 
been  traveled  in  three  full  days  ! 

Schwatka 's  spirit  was  broken.  On  top  of  it  all  he  was  ill 
and  discouraged.  He  had  seen  enough  of  the  Park  in  mid- 
winter to  enable  him  to  write  its  story.  But  photographer 
Haynes  had  to  go  to  the  geyser  basins,  to  the  Canyon ;  he  could 
not  turn  back !  Scout  Wilson,  too,  was  eager  to  complete  the 
trip  as  originally  planned.  Many  photographs  were  taken  in 
the  vicinity  of  Norris.  Two  men,  stouthearted  westerners,  were 
released  by  Schwatka  and  employed  to  continue  the  trip  with 
Haynes  and  Wilson.    Schwatka  and  the  other  three  turned  back. 

Abandoning  everything  they  considered  unessential,  and 
with  one  camera  and  their  provisions  and  sleeping  bags  strapped 
to  their  backs,  the  party  of  four,  under  the  leadership  of  Frank 
J.  Haynes,  stepped  into  their  skis  and  poled  on  to  Norris  Geyser 


10.  Ibid.,  p.  194. 

11.  Guptill,  A.  B.,  Guide  1o  YeUowsfone  Pari;  1890,  p.  112-117.  Guptill. 
A.  B.,  All  About  TeUowstonc  Pari-,  1892,  p.  101-108.  Haynes  Guide  to 
Yellowstone  Pari;  1896,  p.  109-119. 

12.  The  Yellowstone  Park  Association  built  this  hotel  in  1886.  It 
was  completely  destroyed  by  fire  July  l-l,  1887,  and  was  replaced  by  a 
temporary  "camp  hotel"  consisting  of  tents. 


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FIRST  WINTER  TRIP  THROUGH  YELLOWSTONE  PARK         95 

Basin.  It  was  a  gorgeous  sight.  Craters  unnoticed  in  summer 
steamed  copiously  along  with  the  large  ones,  presenting  a  display 
resembling  a  large  manufacturing  city.  Trees  heavily  laden 
with  ice,  near  the  steam  vents  and  geysers,  produced  in  glittering 
brightness  all  of  the  fantastic  forms  possible  to  the  imagination. 

The  usual  route  was  followed  across  Elk  Park  and  Gil)bon 
Meadows,  down  Gibbon  Canyon  aud  across  the  mesa  to  Lower 
Geyser  Basin.  From  here  they  could  see  great  columns  of  steam 
rising  through  the  cold  atmosphere  from  hundreds  of  vents,  not 
only  in  the  Lower  Basin^'^  but  also  in  the  Midway  Geyser  Basin, 
then  known  as  Hell's  Half  Acre,  and  in  the  distant  Upper  Geyser 
Basin, ^^  ten  miles  southward. 

For  five  days  at  LTpper  Geyser  Basin  the  party  was  snow- 
bound by  a  blinding  blizzard.  Although  the  president  of  the 
Yellowstone  Park  Association  had  granted  them  the  use  of  the 
hotels,  they  learned  that  kindling  a  fire  in  the  primitive  one  at 
Upper  Basin  brought  in  drafts  from  the  outside  which  rendered 
the  place  uninhabitable,  so  they  obtained  a  tent  from  the  store- 
room, pitched  it  on  the  warm  ground  near  Old  Faithful  Geyser, 
and  were  quite  comfortable. 

A  most  unusual  sight  was  revealed  the  first  clear  morning 
after  the  storm — Old  Faithful  Geyser,  Giantess  Geyser  and 
Grand  Gej^ser,  three  of  the  largest  in  the  Park,  erupted  simul- 
taneously. Haynes  photographed  the  first  two,  but  the  Grand 
subsided  before  he  could  reach  a  place  close  enough  to  show  it 
adequately. 

The  great  amount  of  vapor  rising  in  majestic  columns  more 
than  a  thousand  feet  high  when  the  geysers  were  in  eruption,  and 
from  innumerable  openings  throughout  the  basin,  produced  an 
unforgettable  scene.  The  foliage  surrounding  each  geyser  was 
most  beautifully  ornamented  with  ice,  frozen  vapor  and  spray. 

Twenty-one  eight  by  ten  inch  photographs  were  taken  at 
Upper  Geyser  Basin  before  the  party  decided  to  proceed  to  the 
Grand  Canyon  of  the  Yellowstone. 

The  unusually  heavy  fall  of  snow  throughout  the  Park, 
fully  eight  feet  in  depth,  gave  an  aspect  to  the  scenery  which 
was  quite  different  from  anything  the  members  of  the  party  had 
previously  seen.  The  tips  of  trees  looked  like  bushes ;  fallen 
trees,  bushes  and  boulders  were  entirely  buried.  Drifts  of 
tremendous  depth  were  encountered. 

Snow  drifted  over  the  top  of  the  Canyon  Hotel,  as  Haynes' 
camera  revealed,  and  the  two  winter  keepers  there  had  to  shovel 
tunnels  to  the  doors.  The  primitive  hotel  was  situated  south  of 
Canvon  Junction  where  the  Canyon  R*inger  Station  is  now 
located  (1942).     Of  the  Lower  Falls  and  the  Grand  Canyon  of 


13.  Lower  Geyser  Basin  is  the  site  of  Fireholo  Lake. 

14.  Old  Faithful  is  located  in  the  Upp^n-  Geyser  Basin. 


96  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

the  Yellowstone  and  the  hotel,  seven  pictures  were  taken  before 
overcast  skies  and  storms  prevented  further  photography  there. 

The  beautifully  colored  walls  of  the  canyon  were  buried 
under  masses  of  pure  white.  The  Lower  Falls  presented  a 
spectacle  that  was  strange  indeed.  Its  north  half  was  frozen 
solid  and  ornamented  with  huge  icicles  two  hundred  feet  long. 
Its  brink  was  frozen  over  and  hidden  by  an  arch  of  ice  about 
twelve  feet  thick ;  and  at  its  base,  rising  to  the  top  of  the  spray 
line,  was  an  ice  bridge  fully  a  hundred  feet  in  height. 

A  little  more  than  twenty  miles  northward  was  their  next 
stopping  place — Yancey 's,^^  where  Uncle  John  would  be  their 
host,  after  which  the  last  eighteen  miles  would  bring  them  back 
to  Mammoth,  the  end  of  the  journey.  From  the  Grand  Canyon 
(7,734  feet)  the  trail  led  to  Dunraven  Pass  (8,860  feet),  between 
Mount  Washburn  (10,317  feet)  and  Dunraven  Peak,  thence 
down  the  northern  slopes  to  Yancey's  cabin  in  Pleasant  Valley 
(elevation  approximately  6,200  feet). 

By  now  the  travelers  were  thoroughly  seasoned ;  they  would 
need  only  a  snack  for  luncheon.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to  reach 
Yancey's  by  night,  so  all  they  carried  in  the  line  of  provisions 
was  some  sweet  chocolate.  As  the  climb  progressed  the  weather 
grew  more  and  more  severe — numbing  cold,  a  driving  blizzard, 
darknss,  and  many  miles  yet  to  go. 

"A  fearful  blizzard  overtook  them,"  wrote  John  L.  Stod- 
dard. "The  cold  and  wind  seemed  unendurable,  even  for  an 
hour,  but  they  endured  them  for  three  days.  A  sharp  sleet  cut 
their  faces  like  a  rain  of  needles,  and  made  it  perilous  to  look 
ahead.  Almost  dead  from  sheer  exhaustion,  they  were  unable  to 
lie  down  for  fear  of  freezing ;  chilled  to  the  bone,  they  could 
make  no  fire ;  and,  although  fainting,  they  had  not  a  mouthful 
for  seventy-two  hours.  What  a  terrific  chapter  for  any  man  to 
add  to  the  mysterious  volume  we  call  life  '."^^ 

It  was  reported  that  during  one  of  these  nights  the  tempera- 
ture fell  to  fifty-two  degrees  below  zero.  One  man  nearly  suc- 
cumbed. He  began  to  see  visions  of  bread  and  had  to  be  lifted 
to  his  feet  and  forced  to  keep  going  after  he  had  collapsed  on  his 
skis.  The  weather  cleared  just  in  time  for  the  party  to  regain 
its  bearings  and  reach  Yancey's.  Uncle  John  quickly  helped 
them  to  beds  and  fed  them  a  weak  broth  despite  their  threats  to 
kill  him  if  he  did  not  give  them  food — lots  of  it !  Yancey  knew 
what  to  do.  It  was  not  the  first  time  he  had  helped  to  keep  the 
thin  thread  of  a  human  life  from  snapping. 


1-5.  In  1882  "Uncle"  John  Yancey  was  permitted  to  erect  a  small 
mail  station  in  Pleasant  Valley  and  to  use  it  to  accommodate  teamsters, 
fishermen,  and  other  visitors.  Haynes  Guide  to  Yellowstone  Nation-al  Parle, 
1936,  p.  147-8. 

16.     Stoddard,  John  L.,  Stoddard's  Lectures,  1898,  Vol.  X,  p.  291-2. 


FIRST  WINTER  TRIP  THROUGH  YELLOWSTONE  PARK        97 

After  fully  recuperating  at  Yaiieey's,  the  party  made  ready 
to  ski  the  last  eighteen  miles.  The  picture  taken  at  Yancey's 
shows  photographer  Haynes  (left  and  his  three  companians  who, 
with  him,  had  shared  both  the  hardships  and  pleasures  of  the 
trip,  the  first  one  ever  attempted  in  the  Park  in  winter. 

On  February  fifth,  Haynes  reached  Fargo  and  soon  there- 
after published  a  printed  leaflet  dated  February  25,  1887,  bear- 
ing the  signature,  "F.  JAY  HAYNES,  Official  Photographer 
N.P.R.R.,"  which  listed  thirty-five  photographs  vith  this  state- 
ment, ''I  have  just  completed  the  only  series  of  '^lid-Winter 
Views  of  Wonderland'  ever  made  .  .  .  the  interesting  and 
beautiful  results  of  several  weeks '  perilous  work,  during  January 
last,  in  that  wonderful  region,  making  the  entire  circuit  of  the 
Park  (nearly  two  hundred  miles)  on  snowshoes." 


Coitrtcsj/  of  Jack  K'lis  Hcy.us 

PARTY  AT  YANCEY  CABIN.  PLEASANT  VALLEY, 

January,  1887.     F.   Jay  Haynes    (loft). 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY 

» 
The  Life  Story  of  One  of  Wyoming's  Pioneer  Couples 

Willis  Spear,  usually  called  "Uncle  Willis"  by  his  circle 
of  friends,  rode  the  range  of  northern  Wyoming  and  southern 
Montana  for  over  sixty  years.  lie  was  identified  with  every 
phase  of  the  cattle  business  in  Wj^oming,  experiencing  every 
degree  of  its  will-o'-the-wisp  fortune  from  "going  broke"  to 
enjoying  prosperity — a  cowman  first,  last,  and  all  the  time  by 
habit ;  State  Senator  by  popular  demand ;  a  dude  rancher  by 
choice,  and  host  extraordinary  by  nature. 

To  fully  understand  the  character  of  the  man,  a  brief  review 
of  his  ancestry  is  revealing.  His  father,  Willis  Bradford  Spear, 
Sr.,  was  born  in  Chautauqua  County,  New  York,  and  his  mother, 
Jane  Ferguson  Spear,  in  Ohio.  The  Spears  were  descendents  of 
the  Clarks  who  came  over  on  the  Mayflower  and  of  G-overnor 
William  Bradford  of  New  England.  They  were  pioneers  in 
Connecticut,  New  York,  Ohio,  Indiana,  California,  Iowa  and 
Missouri.  The  roving  spirit  was  in  the  blood  of  Willis,  Sr.,  and 
his  early  experiences  took  him  to  various  sections  of  the  country — 
as  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican  War  and  later  an  emigrant  to  the 
California  gold  fields,  where  he  remained  a  number  of  years. 
Spear  Street  in  San  P>ancisco  was  named  for  him. 

Returning  from  the  West,  Willis  Spear,  Sr.,  and  Jane  Fergu- 
son were  married  at  Niles,  Michigan,  on  October  17,  1853,  after 
which  they  settled  in  northern  Missouri.  On  August  2,  1862,  at 
their  home  near  Rockport,  Willis  Spear,  Jr.,  was  born. 

In  the  spring  of  1874,  as  soon  as  the  territory  was  settled, 
Mr.  Spear,  with  his  family  of  eight,  emigrated  in  a  covered  wagon 
to  Wyoming,  a  new  frontier.  When  they  left  Lincoln,  Nebraska, 
there  were  pioneers  in  seventeen  wagons,  traveling  together  for 
protection.  They  traveled  along  the  Union  Pacific,  as  they  dared 
not  go  far  from  the  railroad  for  fear  of  encountering  Indians. 

One  of  their  first  stops  on  this  westward  trek  was  at  the 
spot  where  Big  Springs,  Nebraska,  is  now  located.  During  the 
two-day  sojourn,  the  twelve  year  old  Willis  and  one  of  the  men, 
William  Sickler,  went  hunting,  and  while  chasing  a  magnificent 
antelope,  its  hind  legs  were  broken  by  a  shot  from  Sickler 's  gun, 
giving  Willis  an  opportunity  to  display  his  fine  marksmanship 


*NOTE — Material  on  the  lives  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willis  M.  Spear  has 
been  gathered  over  a  period  of  years  by  their  daughters,  Mrs.  Jessamine 
Spear  Johnson  of  Big  Horn,  Wyoming,  and  Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byron  of 
Sheridan,  Wyoming.  Additional  information  was  gathered  by  Mrs. 
Byron's  daughter,  Virginia,  now  Mrs.  P.  L.  Fernandez  of  Alamosa, 
Colorado.  It  is  through  their  cooperation  that  this  biography  has  been 
made  possible. — ^Ed. 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY 


99 


by  firing  tlie  bullet  that  killed  the  animal.  Sickler  left  ^Yillis 
to  watch  the  antelope  while  he  rode  the  five  miles  back  to  camp 
to  get  a  pack  horse.  It  was  now  dark ;  the  hooting  of  the  owls, 
the  howling  of  the  coyotes,  and  the  ghostly  noises  of  the  night 
were  so  frightening  that  the  young  boy,  not  being  able  to  stand 
it,  desertecl  his  vigil  and  hurried  toward  camp;  meeting  Mr. 
Sickler,  who  was  returning  with  five  assistants,  Willis  guided 
them  back  to  the  antelope.  In  recalling  the  incident,  it  was 
evident  that  Mr.  Spear's  boyish  appetite  had  made  the  outstand- 
ing impression  on  his  memory,  as  he  remarked  that  he  could  not 
remember  ever  having  smelled  anything  cpiite  so  good  as  that 
antelope  steak  frying  over  the  eampfire  that  evening. 


WILLIS  M.  SPEAR 
(1862  -  1936) 


MKS.  WILLIS  M.  SPEAR 
(1863  - 1930) 


100  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Pioneering  in  Western  Montana — 1875-1883 

The  winter  of  1874-75  was  spent  at  Evanston,  Wyoming. 
In  the  spring  the  family  left  for  Montana,  going  to  Bear  Lake 
and  Soda  Springs  in  Idaho,  ferr^dng  Bear  River,  and  crossing 
the  Snake  River  on  the  Eagle  Rock  Bridge.  From  there  they 
went  north  to  Dillon,  Montana,  and  down  the  Beaver  Head  to 
Deer  Lodge  City.  They  visited  New  Chicago^  and  then  spent 
the  winter  in  Philipsbnrg. 

Of  this  trip  Mr.  Spear  recalled,  ' '  In  crossing  Bear  River  on 
the  ferry  boat,  one  of  our  mules  was  killed  when  he  went  off  the 
side  of  the  boat  and  ran  a  snag  in  his  side,  so  that  we  had  to  buy 
a  horse  to  take  his  place  upon  our  arrival  at  Philipsbnrg,  Mon- 
tana. Father  had  just  enough  money  left  to  buy  meat  for  dinner 
— so  we  all  had  to  get  out  and  do  what  we  could  to  help  thing's 
along. ' ' 

The  gold  rush  to  Montana  had  followed  a  strike  by  James 
and  Granville  Stewart  on  Gold  Creek  in  1858.  Constant  dis- 
coveries followed,  and  when  metalliferous  quartz,  containing 
both  gold  and  silver,  was  discovered  at  Philipsburg,  that  place 
became  especially  prosperous  along  in  the  '70 's  and  until  the 
decline  of  silver  values  forced  many  mines  to  close.  Therefore, 
when  the  Spear  family  arrived  at  Philipsburg  in  1875,  Willis 
Spear,  Sr.,  secured  employment  by  helping  to  build  the  gold 
stamping  mill,  then  called  Trout  Mill. 

Recalling  these  mining  days,  Mr.  Spear  said,  "The  ship- 
ments of  silver  from  the  Hope  Mine  at  Philipsburg  were  carried 
in  one  hundred  pound  bars  in  a  leather  bag  with  leather  handles. 
This  silver  was  ninety-seven  per  cent  pure.  In  New  Chicago, 
Montana,  the  bouillon  was  dropped  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of 
an  express  office  where  it  would  lay  until  the  stage  came  through 
from  Missoula  about  midnight.  It  was  then  picked  up  and 
taken  on  to  Ogden  for  delivery  to  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad. 
This  reckless  manner  had  been  followed  from  the  time  the  Hope 
Mine  had  been  started,  about  1870,  until  the  year  "79  or  '80  when 
one  bag  came  up  missing.  At  the  time  I  left  there  in  1883  it 
still  had  not  been  found. ' ' 

Later  the  famih^  settled  at  New  Chicago  where  Mrs.  Spear's 
brother,  William  Ferguson,  had  a  hotel,  which  she  managed  for 
several  years. 

In  the  winter  of  1875-76,  as  a  boy  of  thirteen,  AA^illis  carried 
the  mail  three  times  a  week  on  a  mule  from  Philipsburg  to  George- 
town Lake.  He  made  the  round  trip  in  one  day,  returning  in 
time  to  help  care  for  the  stage  horses  of  the  man  who  held  the 
contract  for  carrying  the  mail  from  New  Chicago  to  Philipsburg 


1.     New    Chicago    was    located    about    twenty-five    miles    north    of 
Philipsburg. 


THE  SPEAES  OF  SHEEIDAN  COUNTY  101 

and  Georgetown  Lake.  It  was  a  lonely  twenty-eight  mile  ride 
for  this  black-haired,  ninety-six  pound  son  of  the  plains,  through 
the  many  blizzards  he  encountered  on  the  trail  that  led  along  the 
foot  of  the  mountains  above  the  A'alley.  The  last  four  or  five 
miles  this  trail  wound  through  a  canyon  and  up  a  steep  mountain. 

"When  I  finished  with  this  job,''  said  Mr.  Spear,  "I  went 
to  work  for  the  Widow  Coberley  at  Philipsburg.  Formerly  she 
had  lived  on  the  west  side  of  Flint  Creek,  about  one-half  mile 
west  of  New  Chicago,  where  she  ran  a  road  ranch  and  store.  In 
the  early  daj^s  she  used  to  go  away  and  leave  her  store  open,  and 
when  persons  came  during  her  absence  to  purchase  things,  they 
would  get  what  they  wanted  and  leave  the  money,  which  was 
mostly  gold  dust  at  that  time. 

"When  I  went  to  work  for  her,  she  had  a  milk  ranch.  One 
day  when  she  was  pouring  cream,  which  was  very  thick,  into  the 
churn,  I  said,  'My,  that  is  the  thickest  cream  I  have  ever  seen.' 
She  answered,  'Your  mother  is  like  all  Missouri  women,  she 
skims  a  lot  of  milk  in  her  cream.'  This  I  resented  more  than 
any  criticism  she  could  have  made  of  my  work. 

"The  next  morning  she  asked  me  if  I  liked  pancakes  and  I 
said  I  did.  She  made  some  sugar  syrup  and  mixed  up  some 
batter.  She  started  to  bake  them  on  a  little  bit  of  a  griddle,  a 
tablespoon  of  batter  in  each  cake.  It  was  no  trouble  for  me  to 
eat  them  faster  than  she  could  bake  them.  When  the  batter  was 
all  gone,  and  I  was  still  waiting  for  more  pancakes,  she  said, 
'It  is  no  wonder  that  your  pa  was  poor  if  the  other  children  eat 
as  much  as  you  do.' 

"One  day  when  the  stage  stopped  at  Widow  Coberley "s 
ranch  a  guest  bragged  about  the  coffee.  When  he  had  finished 
his  meal  he  pulled  out  a  notebook  and  asked  Mrs.  Coberley  if  slie 
would  tell  him  how  she  made  that  coffee.  She  answered,  'Yes,  I 
put  in  a  lot  of  coft'ee  and  put  it  on  the  stove  and  boiled  hell  out 
of  it.'    He  said  he  coidd  remember  that  Avithout  writing  it  down  I 

"I  could  not  do  anything  fast  enough  for  her  or  satisfy 
her,  except  picket  the  calves  out  and  deliver  the  milk  and  butter 
around  town.  I  could  saw  enough  wood  in  an  hour  to  last  us 
several  days,  but  when  I  would  start  sawing  she  would  watch  me 
a  minute,  come  and  take  the  bucksaw  away  from  me,  and  saw 
two  sticks  to  my  one.  She  complained  that  I  drove  the  cows  and 
rode  the  pony  too  fast  to  suit  her,  and  that  I  ate  too  much. 

"After  working  for  the  Widow  Coberley  for  a  while  I  got  a 
job  herding  sheep  for  a  butcher.  I  told  her  I  was  quitting  and 
she  said,  'All  right;  you  ain't  worth  your  board  anyhow.'  " 


102  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Journey  to  Sheridan,  Wyoming,  Recounted  in  Diary 

In  1883  the  family  moved  to  the  foot  of  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains  in  Wyoming.  The  two  months'  journey  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  is  recounted  in  a  diary  by  Willis  Spear, 
on  a  pad  of  the  Chicago  House^  stationery,  fastened  together  with 
carpet  tacks.  Though  monotonous  at  times,  the  trip  was  filled 
with  dangers  and  hardships.  The  diary  unfolds  a  vivid  account 
of  the  journey  across  unbroken  wilderness  and  wide-open 
prairies ;  how  the  cattle  became  footsore  and  lagged  behind ; 
how  some  of  the  horses  became  sick  or  strayed ;  how  several  of 
the  party  suffered  accidents,  and  of  the  difficulties  encountered 
in  fording  the  stock  across  rivers.  Willis,  then  a  boy  of  twenty- 
one,  with  the  aid  of  his  sister,  Emma,  drove  the  livestock. 

The  diary^  of  the  trip,  from  start  to  finish,  follows : 

August  2 :  This  is  my  twenty-first  birthday.  We  left  our 
home  in  New  Chicago,  Montana,  for  Tongue  river  in  Wyoming. 
Our  train  is  composed  of  three  families.  There  are  24  people, 
five  wagons,  three  buggies,  100  head  of  horses,  and  80  head  of 
cattle.  We  traveled  10  miles  today  and  corraled  our  horses  in 
Wallace's  corral  tonight  so  we  would  not  have  to  herd  them. 

August  3 :  Camped  today  noon  on  Deer  Lodge  river. 
About  3  o'clock  one  of  the  wagon  covers  caught  on  fire,  from  a 
Chinaman's  pipe.  He  had  asked  to  ride  away.  In  putting  out 
the  fire,  Frank  Venleven  cut  off  two  fingers  on  a  scythe,  which 
was  hanging  on  the  side  of  the  wagon.  Camped  on  Little  Black- 
foot.  Some  of  the  men  who  had  business  to  attend  to  went  on 
to  Deer  Lodge. 

August  4:  The  folks  got  back  so  late  today  from  Deer 
Lodge  that  we  only  moved  five  miles.  We  camped  on  Meed 
creek,  where  we  found  plenty  of  wild  raspberries  and  goose- 
berries. 

August  5 :  Moved  15  miles  and  camped  on  Milk  creek. 
Killed  a  number  of  grouse  which  were  splendid  eating. 

August  6:  Camped  at  noon  at  French  Woman's  ranch,  so 
called  because  a  French  woman  was  killed  there  about  15  years 
ago.  Nobody  knew  who  did  the  deed  until  a  few  years  ago  when 
her  husband  died  after  confessing  that  he  had  killed  her.  Frank 's 
hand  pained  him  so  that  he  went  on  to  Helena  to  have  a  doctor 
dress  it.  Camped  at  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  that  goes  through 
the  top  of  the  Rocky  mountains. 

August  7 :  Night  herding  was  a  cold  job  last  night.  We 
crossed  the  Rockies  in  the  forenoon  and  came  to  the  eastern  end 
of  the  Northern  Pacific  railwav.    There  is  about  a  hundred  miles 


2.  The   Chicago   House   was   the   hotel   managed   by   Willis    Spear's 
mother  in  New  Chicago. 

3.  The  diary,  now  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Elsa   Spear  Byron  of 
Sheridan,  Wyoming,  has  been  transcribed  and  copied  verbatim. — Ed. 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  103 

yet  to  build  before  the  two  ends  meet.  The  cars  stampeded  the 
horses  but  none  were  lost.  Camped  five  miles  west  of  Helena. 
Frank  came  back,  and  he  had  had  to  have  some  of  his  third  finger 
cut  off,  so  as  to  dress  it  properly. 

August  8 :  Some  of  the  horses  got  away  from  the  night 
herder,  but  were  soon  found.  We  did  not  move  today.  Did 
some  trading,  had  the  horses  shod  and  did  some  washing. 

August  9 :  Frank  got  on  the  cars  at  Helena  and  started  for 
his  home  in  the  states.  Moved  10  miles  and  camped  on  Prickly 
Pear  creek.  Quite  a  number  of  young  ladies  came  over  to  visit 
our  camp. 

August  10 :  Moved  15  miles  and  camped  on  Beaver  creek 
four  miles  from  the  Missouri  river.  It  rained  quite  hard  in  the 
afternoon  but  was  clear  in  the  evening. 

August  11:  Crossed  the  Missouri  river  at  Edmonson's 
ferry.  As  the  ferry  boat  could  not,  carry  loose  horses  and  cattle 
we  had  to  make  them  swim.  The  horses  swam  across  without 
much  trouble.  Several  gave  out  a  little  way  from  shore,  but  all 
got  across  except  a  yearling  colt  of  Pa's,  which  was  drowned. 
We  \vere  three  hours  crossing  the  cattle.  They  would  swim  out 
a  little  and  then  go  to  milling  around.  We  had  to  take  some  of 
the  calves  across  in  the  ferry  boat,  and  then  succeeded  in  getting 
the  cattle  to  cross.  Took  the  wagon  across  on  the  ferry  and  then 
moved  four  miles  to  the  foot  of  the  mountains  and  camped  on 
Confederate  creek. 

August  12  -.  As  it  was  Sunday,  we  did  not  move,  but  amused 
ourselves  by  riding  wild  horses. 

August  13 :  Some  of  the  horses  got  away  in  the  night  and 
could  not  be  found  until  noon.  Traveled  up  Confederate  gulch 
and  passed  through  Diamond  City.  It  was  once  a  flourishing 
mining  camp  with  several  thousand  inhabitants.  Now  there  are 
only  a  few  hundred.  It  used  to  be  the  richest  mining  camp  in 
that  territory,  but  is  all  worked  out  excepting  in  a  few  places. 
Camped  on  the  divide  between  the  ^Missouri  and  Smith  rivers. 

August  14 :  Passed  through  old  Fort  Logan  at  noon,  where 
we  sold  two  horses  which  were  lame.  The  fort  has  been  aban- 
doned for  several  years.  AVe  camped  on  Smith  river.  A  short 
time  after  making  camp  we  received  a  note  from  a  man  to  move 
on,  as  we  were  on  his  land.  As  everybody  is  supposed  to  fence 
his  land,  and  his  wasn't  fenced,  we  did  not  move. 

August.  15:  Passed  through  AYhite  Sulphur  Springs  and 
camped  two  miles  east  of  Deep  creek.  We  moved  too  far  for  the 
cattle,  so  we  left  them  back  a  few  miles. 

August  16 :  The  cattle  were  so  footsore  that  we  decided  to 
rest  here  a  few  days.  ]\Iost  of  us  went  to  to-\\Ti  to  do  some  trading 
and  try  the  baths. 

August  17 :    Nothing  happened  worth  writing  about. 


104  ANNAL8  OF  WYOMING 

August  18 :  Mr.  Scruachfield,  who  had  only  horses  and  no 
cattle,  concluded  to  go  ahead,  as  the  cattle  traveled  so  slow. 

August  19  :  Moved  15  miles  to  Copperopolis,  a  stage  station. 
Saw  several  bands  of  antelope,  but  they  were  too  wild  to  kill 
any.  Mr.  Gruell  bought  60  head  of  Oregon  cayuses  for  $21  a 
head.  People  have  said  all  along  the  road  we  had  the  finest  herd 
of  horses  that  they  had  ever  seen  in  this  country,  but  they  won't 
say  that  any  more. 

August  20 :  Crossed  the  divide  between  Smith  river  and 
the  Musselshell.  Gruell  bought  20  head  more  of  Oregon  horses, 
for  which  he  paid  $40  a  head. 

August  21 :  On  account  of  it  raining  and  being  so  cold,  we 
only  moved  a  few  miles.  Camped  at  Martinsdale,  on  the  south 
fork  of  the  Musselshell. 

August  22 :  We  traveled  now  down  the  Musselshell  for  60 
miles,  which  is  said  to  be  the  finest  cattle  range  in  the  territory. 
Mr.  Newman  left  us  at  noon.  He  will  go  north  to  Fort  Maginnis, 
where  some  of  his  relatives  live.  This  leaves  only  two  of  us  to 
drive  the  horses  and  night  herd.  Gruell  herds  the  forepart  of 
the  night  and  I  the  last  part. 

August  23  :  While  watching  some  wild  horses  this  morning, 
one  struck  Mr.  Gruell  above  the  right  eye  and  cut  quite  a  gash. 
A  pilgrim  came  up  while  one  of  the  horses  was  bucking,  and  said, 
"Well,  that  thing  hops  the  highest  of  anj'thing  I  ever  saw." 
Little  Robert  Gruell  was  running  after  the  cattle  when  his  horse 
stepped  in  a  gopher  hole  and  broke  one  of  the  forelegs. 

August  24:  The  horse  with  the  broken  leg  followed  us  a 
ways  this  morning  till  we  met  a  fellow  and  sold  him  for  $5. 
Camped  in  a  sage  brush  bottom,  where  we  killed  quite  a  number 
of  sage  hens.    These  are  the  first  we  have  killed  on  the  road. 

August  25 :  Some  of  the  horses  ate  some  poison  weed  last 
night  and  one  of  them  was  so  sick  at  noon  that  we  had  to  leave  it. 

August  26:  Left  the  Musselshell  valley  at  Olden 's  ranch 
at  noon.  Started  south  through  the  hills  to  Billings.  Camped  at 
Painted  Robe  Springs,  which  is  the  best  camping  place  we  have 
had  on  the  road. 

August  27 :  Moved  10  miles  to  Bull  Mountain  Springs  in 
the  forenoon.  As  it  was  12  miles  to  the  next  water,  we  camped 
here. 

August  28 :  Oscar  Gruell  was  running  his  horse  this  morn- 
ing when  he  fell  and  threw  Oscar  off.  It  hurt  his  back  and  head 
so  that  he  has  been  having  fits  all  day.  He  was  senseless  for  over 
two  hours,  but  is  all  right  this  evening.  Camped  at  Antelope 
Springs. 

August  29 :  After  the  teams  had  started  we  missed  five 
head  of  Mr.  Gruell 's  horses.  Two  men  came  in  and  said  they 
had  seen  them  at  a  lake  basin  about  five  miles  away.     I  hunted 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  105 

till  noon  and  then  came  back.  Took  the  horses  to  where  the 
wag'ons  had  camped  at  Whisky  Bill's  station.  Mr.  Gruell  came 
on  in  the  evening",  but  no  horses. 

August  30 :  Gruell  and  I  started  out  again  this  morning 
to  hunt  the  horses.  We  went  on  one  side  of  the  lake  basin,  where 
the  horses  were  last  seen,  which  is  about  12  miles  wide  and  30 
miles  long  and  is  covered  with  small  lakes.  I  took  the  other  side 
and  rode  about  50  miles.  Saw  no  horses  but  saw  several  bands 
of  antelope.  I  came  back  to  camp  but  Gruell  stayed  out  hunting. 
Mary  and  Charley^  had  to  come  to  Billings  to  meet  us  and  we 
had  not  got  there  yet.  Charley  came  out  to  our  camp  at  noon. 
Ma,  Pa  and  Emma  went  on  to  Billings  with  him. 

August  31:  Gruell  got  back  at  noon,  but  didn't  hear  any- 
thing of  his  horses.  We  think  they  must  have  got  with  the  wild 
horses  on  Bull  IMountain. 

September  1 :  Moved  on  into  Billing-s  this  forenoon  but  too 
late  to  see  Charley  and  the  others  as  they  had  to  go  back  to  tend 
their  work. 

September  2 :  Ma  and  Emma  went  with  ]\Iary  to  Junc- 
tion.°  Some  of  our  cattle  got  in  with  a  drove  of  cattle  that  are 
taking  our  back  track,  so  we  had  to  follow  them  12  miles  before 
we  overtook  them. 

September  3 :  Moved  10  miles  down  the  Yellowstone,  to 
Bakers  battleground  and  camped  there. 

September  4:  Pa  went  after  ma  and  Emma,  and  Mr. 
Gruell  went  back  to  Martinsdale.  We  expect  to  have  to  lay  over 
here  three  or  four  days. 

September  10 :  Nothing-  happened  since  the  fourth  worth 
writing  about.  ]\Ia  and  Emma  came  up  from  Junction  on  the 
train. 

September  11 :  Gruell  came  back  this  morning  so  we 
hitched  up  and  moved  a  mile  down  the  river  .to  Huntley.  We 
crossed  the  wagons  first  on  Haskins  and  Maguires  ferry  boat, 
without  any  accident.  People  say  this  (the  Yellowstone)  is  the 
most  treacherous  river  in  the  west.  It  is  not  only  swift  but  has 
an  undercurrent  which  sucks  everything  down.  There  has  been 
about  20  men  drowned  at  this  ferry  while  trying  to  swim  their 
stock.  We  started  the  hoi-ses  across  and  swam  alright  until  they 
got  to  the  center,  when  the  leaders  turned  and  started  back. 
Then  they  all  began  to  mill  around  and  for  about  five  minutes 
every  horse  was  tiying*  to  g'et  on  top  of  another  one.  then  they 
separated  and  such  a  sight  I  never  want  to  see  again.  Some 
went  to  the  other  side  but  most  of  them  came  back  Avhile  others 
that  had  got  strangled  seemed  to  be  cra/.v  and  did  not  know 


4.  Sister  and  brother  of  Willis  Spenr. 

5.  Located    at    tlie    conHiienee    of    the    Big    Horn    and    Yellowstone 
Rivers  and  no  longer  in  existence. 


106      ■  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

which  way  to  go.  They  would  swim  around  awhile  and  then 
turn  on  their  backs  and  disappear,  never  to  be  seen  any  more. 
Twenty-one  head  of  old  horses  were  drowned  besides  five  colts. 
Seven  of  them  were  ours  and  the  rest  were  Gruell's.  We  let  the 
horses  that  came  back  rest  awhile,  then  cut  them  out  in  small 
bunches  and  swam  them  across  without  any  loss.  This  is  the 
wa3^  we  should  have  done  it  in  the  first  place.  We  then  started 
the  cattle  in  and  they  would  swim  out  away  and  then  mill  around. 
They  wouldn't  make  the  first  attempt  to  go  across  so  we  took 
the  calves  across  and  tied  them  on  the  bank.  Will  let  them  be  till 
in  the  morning. 

September  12 :  Tried  all  forenoon  to  swim  the  cattle  across 
but  the  more  we  tried  the  worse  they  got,  so  we  had  to  put  them 
on  the  ferry  boat.  I  was  swimming  beloAv  the  cattle  this  morn- 
ing when  they  began  to  circle  around  me  and  came  near  getting 
all  around  me,  so  after  that  I  stayed  behind.  We  are  now  on 
the  Crow  reservation.  We  have  to  keep  a  close  watch  on  the 
horses  as  the  Indians  will  stampede  them  if  they  get  a  chance. 
Moved  20  miles  down  the  river  to  the  old  stage  station,  near 
Pompey's  Pillar. 

September  14 :  It  rained  so  hard  last  night  that  we  could 
not  move  the  wagons  today.  Dock  and  Robert  Gruell  took  a 
pack  horse  and  the  cattle  and  went  on  ahead.  Most  of  us  have 
been  engraving  our  names  on  Pompey  's  Pillar.  That  was  named 
by  W.  Clark,  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  and  we  saw  his 
name  engraved  on  it  when  he  was  through  here,  July  25,  1806. 
It  is  covered  now  with  an  iron  screen,  so  as  to  keep  it  from  being 
spoiled.  Pompey's  Pillar  is  a  huge  column  of  rock  standing  by 
itself,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  It  is  about  two  hundred 
feet  high  and  covers  about  an  acre  of  ground. 

September  15 :  I  went  on  ahead  at  noon  and  got  into  Junc- 
tion City  in  the  evening.  Charley  and  Mary  were  surprised  to 
see  me  as  we  intended  to  take  another  road.  Missed  it  so  we  had 
to  come  this  way. 

September  16 :  The  wagons  came  on  at  noon  and  stayed 
until  evening.  This  evening  we  moved  five  miles  and  camped 
on  the  Big  Horn  river. 

September  17  :  We  are  now  in  sight  of  the  Big  Horn  moun- 
tains, which  are  75  miles  away  in  Wyoming.  Camped  nine  miles 
below  Fort  Custer  on  the  Big  Horn  river  tonight. 

September  18  -.  Crossed  the  Big  Horn  river  at  Fort  Custer, 
crossing  the  wagons  on  the  ferry  boat  and  the  stock  all  forded 
it,  except  a  few.  They  got  below  the  riffle  and  had  to  swim.  A 
noon  some  pilgrim  soldiers  that  had  just  arrived  from  St.  Louis 
came  to  our  camp.  One  of  them  said  he  could  ride  any  horse  in 
our  band  so  I  lassoed  a  wild  one.  Two  of  us  got  ahold  of  it  and 
blindfolded  it  so  he  could  not  see,  then  the  soldier  got  on.     He 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  107 

fastened  both  hands  in  his  mane  and  then  we  pulled  the  blind 
off  and  let  him  go  without  so  much  as  a  halter.  At  first  the  horse 
was  so  scared  he  didn't  know  what  to  do,  then  he  put  his  head 
between  his  forelegs  and  went  up  in  the  air.  The  third  buck 
the  soldier  came  ofi',  landed  on  his  right  shoulder  slid  on  his  ear 
a  ways,  and  got  up  and  exclaimed,  ' '  Well  that  horse  hopped  the 
highest  of  anything  I  ever  saw."  We  camped  four  miles  below 
Fort  Custer  tonight  on  the  Little  Big  Horn  river. 

September  19 :  Some  of  the  cattle  strayed  into  the  brush 
in  the  night,  so  two  of  us  stayed  back  to  hunt  for  them.  Found 
them  all  finally  in  the  evening.  We  got  into  camp  a  short  time 
before  midnight.  We  are  four  miles  from  Custer's  battleground. 
Can  see  his  monument  from  the  camp. 

September  20 :  We  passed  where  they  are  building  the  new 
Crow  Indian  agency.  The  superintendent  of  the  reservation 
came  up  and  made  us  pay  10  cents  a  head  for  loose  stock,  which 
is  the  toll  they  charge  for  crossing  the  reservation.  Spent  the 
forenoon  visiting  the  Custer  battlefield.  The  monument  is  erected 
near  where  he  fell  and  the  bones  of  the  private  soldiers  were 
buried  under  the  monument.  Three  days  after  the  fight  in  1876. 
seven  years  ag'o,  the  officers  were  buried  in  separate  shallow 
graves  and  the  soldiers  were  put  in  shallow  trenches,  and  some 
that  lay  away  from  where  the  main  fight  took  place  were  covered 
only  with  sage  brush.  All  of  the  dead  were  not  found  at  this 
time,  for  out  of  the  224  men  with  Custer,  only  204  were  buried. 
The  body  of  Kellogg,  the  newspaper  correspondent,  was  dis- 
covered some  time  later,  lying  near  the  head  of  a  gulch,  about  a 
mile  away  from  the  battlefield.*^  In  '77  the  officers  were  removed 
from  the  battlefield,  and  it  was  found  that  coyotes  had  dug  up  a 
great  number  of  the  soldiers'  bones  and  scattered  them  around. 
Their  bones  are  still  lying  scattered  in  every  direction  and  we 
picked  up  lots  of  cartridges  and  some  pieces  of  the  monument, 
which  had  been  chipped  off,  when  setting  it  up.*  We  camped  10 
miles  above  on  the  Little  Horn. 

September  21 :  Moved  15  miles,  crossed  Lodge  Grass  creek 
and  camped  on  Pass  creek.    They  both  help  form  the  Little  Horn. 

September  22 :  Traveled  all  day  up  Pass  creek.  Found 
plentv  of  wild  plums  and  some  of  the  folks  got  too  manv  for  their 
health  ! 


6.  In  the  files  of  the  Historical  Department  is  a  copy  of  the  Tribune 
Extra,  published  in  Bismarck.  D.  T.,  (sic),  JiiUi  6,  1876,  which  drives  the 
"First  account  of  the  Custer  Massacre"  on  the  Little  Big  Horn  River. 
June  25th  of  that  year.  In  the  article  the  writer  states  that  Kellogg 's 
last  words  to  hiui  were:  "We  leave  the  Rosebud  tomorrow  and  bv  the 
time  this  reaches  you  we  will  have  MET  AND  FOUGHT  the  red  devils, 
with  what  result  remains  to  be  seen.  I  go  with  Custer  and  will  be  at 
the  death." 


108  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

September  23 :  Camped  at  the  foot  of  the  Big  Horn  moun- 
tains on  Tongue  river,  after  moving  15  miles  today. 

September  24:  Moved  about  20  miles  today,  to  Sheridan, 
Wyo.,  which  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Little  and  Big 
Goose  creeks.     Our  journey  ends  here. 

After  the  family  was  settled,  Willis  returned  to  Junction 
City  to  spend  the  winter  of  1883-84  with  his  sister,  Mary,  and 
to  work  for  her  husband,  Paul  McCormick,  who  had  a  store  and 
trading  post  and  ran  cattle  on  the  Crow  Indian  Reservation. 
His  brother,  Charles  Spear,  had  entered  the  employ  of  Paul 
McCormick  two  years  earlier. 

Virginia  Belle  Benton,  Later  Mrs.  Willis  M.  Spear 

On  November  18,  1885,  Willis  Spear  was  married  to  Vir- 
ginia Belle  Benton,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  George  W. 
Benton.  Her  father  was  the  first  Protestant  minister  in  northern 
Wyoming,  bringing  his  family  into  what  was  then  Johnson 
County  in  1881. 

Mr.  Benton  was  a  descendent  of  Roger  Williams,  the  first 
Baptist  minister  and  founder  of  the  state  of  Rhode  Island.  He 
was  a  medical  missionary,  and  Mrs.  Spear's  early  childhood 
memories  were  of  their  life  in  Illinois  and  the  migrations  to 
Kansas  and  later  to  Wyoming. 

In  1850  her  parents  came  from  West  Sutton,  Massachusetts, 
to  Illinois  where  they  resided,  except  for  a  few  months  spent  in 
Wisconsin,  until  1871.  During  their  short  sojourn  at  Berlin, 
Wisconsin,  Virginia  Belle  was  born  on  December  6,  1863. 

In  the  fall  of  1871  the  family  started  west  in  covered  wagons 
and  spent  the  winter  at  Tyson  Mills,  Iowa.  In  the  spring  they 
continued  their  journey  and  took  up  a  homestead  in  Smith 
County,  Kansas,  where  their  nearest  neighbor  was  five  miles 
away.  After  nine  years  in  Kansas,  the  family  decided  to  move 
on  to  a  new  frontier  in  northern  Wyoming.  The  story  of  this 
journey  is  vividly  given  in  the  diary "^  of  Virginia  Belle,  age 
seventeen. 

Diary — Journey  from  Kansas  to  Wyoming — 1881 

Wed.  June  15,  1881:  We  left  home  about  eleven  o'clock 
and  after  eating  dinner  with  one  of  our  neighbors  we  traveled 
about  ten  miles  to  our  nearest  town  of  Riverton,  Nebraska,  when 
we  camped  on  the  banks  of  the  Republican  river  until  the  18th. 

Several  of  our  friends  came  to  see  us  there  and  to  see  how 
we  liked  camping.    Saturday  was  a  very  busy  day  but  we  finally 


7.     The  diary,  now  in  the  possession   of  Mrs.   Elsa   Spear  Byron   of 
Sheridan,  Wyoming,  has  been  transcribed  and  copied  verbatim. — Ed. 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  109 

finished  the  business  that  kept  us  tliere  and  left  sometime  in  the 
afternoon  and  camped  near  a  sod  house  which  was  built  on  the 
prairie,  miles  away  from  every  other  home  and  when  the  men 
went  to  the  house  to  see  about  milk  and  water  they  found  a 
notice  on  the  door,  saying  the  well  had  gone  dry  and  the  drought 
had  taken  the  corn  and  vegetables  and  they  were  going  back 
where  there  was  more  rain.  So  we  had  to  take  our  water  keg 
some  distance  away  to  a  small  stream  and  also  take  the  teams 
there  to  be  watered.  We  had  no  intention  of  traveling  on  Sunday 
but  with  such  a  scarcity  of  water  and  no  milk  we  decided  to 
move  on,  which  we  did  and  as  it  rained  we  only  went  far  enough 
to  be  able  to  procure  milk,  water  and  wood. 

MoN.  June  20 :  We  traveled  all  day  and  camped  at  night 
just  as  a  heavy  rain  storm  came  on  and  continued  half  the  night. 

June  21 :  We  reached  Kearney  and  camped  on  the  west 
side  of  the  city. 

June  23 :     We  camped  west  of  Elm  Creek  Station. 

June  24 :  We  reached  Plum  Creek  Station  and  as  it  rained 
again  we  were  sheltered  by  a  merchant  in  rooms  above  his  store. 

June  25 :  We  crossed  to  the  south  side  of  the  Platte  river 
and  camped  that  night  in  the  sand  near  the  home  of  a  minister, 
with  whom  Father  was  acquainted.  Another  severe  rain,  hail, 
and  wind  storm  came  up  and  tore  our  tent  and  blew  it  over  but 
luckily  we  could  sleep  inside  the  wagons  as  the  fleas  were  intoler- 
ably thick  here  and  would  have  eaten  us  alive  if  given  half  a 
chance. 

June  27 :  We  stayed  there  over  Sunday  and  Mon.  We 
only  traveled  about  20  miles  as  the  rains  had  made  the  roads  too 
muddy  and  where  there  was  no  mud  it  was  sandy  and  the  ther- 
mometer stood  at  92  in  the  shade. 

June  28 :  We  traveled  another  20  miles  and  reached  the 
abandoned  Ft.  McPherson  and  as  a  terrible  wind  storm  came  up 
Ave  were  given  permission  to  camp  in  one  of  the  vacant  buildings 
which  we  were  very  glad  to  do  as  we  could  not  have  stretclied 
our  tent.  That  day  our  dogs  saw  a  band  of  sheep  for  the  first 
time  and  killed  one  before  we  could  reach  them  so  we  bought  the 
one  they  killed  and  enjoyed  eating  fresh  mutton. 

June  29:  We  took  the  opportunity  of  washing  and  after- 
wards we  went  to  visit  the  National  Cemetery  (whicli  was  taken 
care  of  by  an  old  Irish  gentlman  and  his  son)  which  looked  so 
very  pretty  and  green  that  we  thought  of  an  oasis  in  the  desert. 
We  were  invited  to  spend  that  evening  with  a  family  living  there, 
and  enjoyed  the  music  which  we  unitedly  prodm-ed  without 
stopping  "to  consider  whether  our  voices  were  cultivated  or  not. 
June  30:  We  stopped  at  noon  near  the  home  of  a  Swede 
who  presented  us  with  new  potatoes  and  some  fresh  mutton  and 
we  entertained  two  guests  at  dinner  that  evening.     We  camped 


110  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

near  North  Platte  city  and  Mr.  Nickham  and  his  daughter  (who 
were  our  guests  at  noon)  gave  out  an  appointment  for  religious 
services  in  the  Baptist  church  there  and  Father  preached  to  the 
few  who  could  be  notified  in  such  a  short  time.    ^.,,-— -         ' 

July  1 :  We  stopped  on  our  way  througlTl^orth  Platte  and 
ate  ice  cream.     (A  great  luxury) 

July  3 :  We  traveled  about  25  or  30  miles  and  camped 
near  the  river  again  over  Sunday,  which  proved  to  be  a  hot 
windy  day.  Two  cowboys,  Black  and  John  Meyers,  and  a  Doctor 
camped  there  also. 

July  4:  Was  very  cool  and  chilly  in  the  morning,  scorch- 
ing hot  afternoon.  We  traveled  as  far  as  Brule  Station  and 
camped. 

July  5 :  We  only  came  about  five  miles  this  side  of  Big 
Springs  as  we  had  another  storm  from  every  direction.  A  little 
boy  wanted  to  come  with  us  to  Cheyenne.  He  had  come  from 
Chicago. 

July  6  :  A  "  Dr.  Powell ' '  came  along  with  a  blanket  on  that 
someone  had  given  him,  and  as  we  thought  him  queer  we  were 
glad  he  was  not  going  our  way.  We  ate  dinner  at  Denver  Junc- 
tion and  passed  thru  Julesburg  and  camped  on  Lodgepole  Creek. 
We  ate  dinner  at  Lodgepole  station  and  camped  for  the  night 
about  two  miles  from  Colton  Station,  where  several  families 
were  camped  who  were  on  their  way  from  Texas  to  Oregon. 

Jltly  8 :  We  reached  Sidney  in  time  to  see  the  soldiers  on 
drill  with  their  horses.  We  received  several  letters  here,  had 
our  teams  shod,  and  traveled  nine  miles  farther  before  camping 
for  the  night. 

July  9 :  We  traveled  17  miles  and  camped  beside  a  spring 
where  thistle  roses,  rock  lilies,  primroses  and  other  flowers  were 
growing. 

July  10 :     Sunday  again — we  wrote  letters. 

July  11 :  Traveled  25  miles  and  camped  near  Bushnell 
station.  Showers  again.  Dr.  Powell  reappeared  and  ate  supper 
and  breakfast  with  us. 

July  12 :  We  ate  dinner  near  Pine  Bluffs,  Wyoming  Terri- 
tory. Passed  Egbert  Station  and  Widow  Brown's  sheep  ranch 
and  camped  where  the  swallows  had  built  their  nests  in  the  cliffs. 

July  13 :  We  came  five  miles  up  on  the  prairie  and  could 
see  the  mountains  like  a  great  bank  of  clouds  in  the  distance. 
We  traveled  26  miles  and  camped  near  Cheyenne — east  of  town 
near  the  lake.  Cheyenne  is  13  years  old  and  the  houses  are  low 
Oil  account  of  the  wind.  We  all  received  letters  here.  Prayer 
meeting  night  so  Father  and  sister  went  to  church  and  met  the 
Whipples. 

July  14 :  Mrs.  Whipple  came  to  visit  us  in  camp  today 
and  took  me  home  with  her  for  awhile.     This  afternoon  we 


THE  SPEAES  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  111 

passed  through  Cheyenne  and  our  road  led  us  out  past  the  Fair 
Grounds  and  Ft.  Russell.  We  camped  near  Whiteomb's^  sheep 
ranch  and  Father  and  sister  drove  down  to  get  milk  for  the 
children.  The  housekeeper  told  them  the  romantic  history  of 
Whitcomb  's  marriage  to  a  descendant  of  a  Sioux  Indian  princess, 
and  showed  them  the  oil  paintings  of  the  daughters  who  were 
away  at  boarding  school. 

July  15 :  Traveled  about  21  miles — ^stopping  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountains  for  dinner  and  camping  in  an  open  park  on 
top  of  the  mountains,  which  we  were  told  were  the  Laramie  Mts. 

July  16 :  Our  first  morning  in  the  mountains,  so  far  from 
every  human  being  but  ourselves  and  such  a  silence  and  hush 
over  everything.  Not  even  a  bird  call  could  be  heard.  Delight- 
fully cool  and  fresh  after  the  rain.  I  wanted  to  walk  and  examine 
every  boulder  and  every  plant  by  the  way.  We  saw  a  mountain 
looking  like  a  fortress,  and  another  place  like  a  graveyard  with 
headstones,  a  pulpit,  seats,  a  bar  and  a  platform.  We  ate  our 
dinner  where  we  could  see  the  Tower  of  Babel  in  the  distance. 

It  rained  in  the  afternoon  and  we  passed  a  rock  that  looked 
like  a  square  tombstone  w4th  tAvo  rosebushes  beside  it.  We  had 
a  very,  very  steep  hill  to  ascend,  where  there  were  three  springs 
and  then  a  gradual  descent  of  12  miles  thru  the  Cheyenne  Pass^ 
where  the  road  was  just  wide  enough  for  one  wagon  at  a  time. 
One  place  was  so  slanting  that  my  left  hind  wheel  was  moving 
in  space  for  one  breathless  second,  but  luckily  the  wagon  did  not 
tip  over,  and  we  reached  the  valley'-  safely.  Camped  about  one 
mile  east  of  Laramie  City.  We  had  another  downpour  of  I'ain 
which  made  us  sad  and  sloppy. 

July  17  :  Father,  John  and  Gazelle  went  to  the  Baptist 
Church  to  Sunday  School  (Pastor  away)  and  were  invited  to 
dinner  by  one  of  the  Deacons,  so  accepted  the  invitation.  An- 
other storm.  John  and  Gazelle  came  back  to  camp  but  Pa  stayed 
and  held  services  in  the  evening  and  stayed  all  night. 

July  18 :  Rained  again  and  we  were  invited  to  move  into 
the  vestry  of  the  church,  which  we  were  glad  to  do  and  have  a 
dry  spot  to  sleep  in. 

July  19 :  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Blackburn  called  on  us.  Father 
and  John  went  to  Cummins^'^  about  30  miles  away  in  the  Rocky 
Mts.  to  see  if  it  would  be  a  good  place  to  camp  while  we  wei-e 
waiting   word   from   Frank,   who  had  gone   on  to   Oregon   and 


8.  E.  W.  Whitcomb.  The  family  home  in  Cheyenue  was  located  at 
the  corner  of  Carey  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street,  Avhore  the  Branen 
Food  Market  now  stands. 

9.  Clieyenne  Pass  was  located  a  little  south  and  east  of  Laramie 
at  the  head  of  Lodge  Pole  Creek  in  the  Laramie  ]N[ountains.  An  old. 
immigrant  and  freiglit  road  lay  through  the  pass. 

10.  Cummins  City  was  located  just  north  of  the  Colorado- Wyoming 
border  and  directly  south  of  the  present  site  of  Woods  Landing. 


112  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Washington.  Gazelle  and  I  attended  Young  Peoples'  meeting 
in  the  evening.     Rainy  again. 

July  20 :  Mother  returned  Mrs.  Blackburn 's-eall  and  I 
stayed  all  night  with  Mrs.  B.  as  Mr.  B.  was  away,  and  she  was 
nervous  about  staying  alone, 

July  21:  I  read  "Bitter  Sweet"  from  Mrs.  Blackburn's 
library.  Pa  and  John  returned.  I  stayed  with  Mrs.  B.  again 
and  read  part  of  "Stepping  Heavenward." 

July  22 :  Finished  reading  and  went  back  to  church.  We 
packed  up  and  started  for  Cummins  in  the  afternoon — camped 
about  7  miles  from  town. 

July  23 :  We  traveled  about  23  miles  and  passed  thru  the 
little  mining  town  of  Cummins — camped  about  2  miles  beyond, 
beside  a  spring  on  the  mountainside.  Father  bought  some  wild 
raspberries  from  some  small  boys  and  we  had  a  feast. 

July  24:  Father,  John  and  I  went  to  Sunday  School  in 
Cummins  at  3  o'clock,  24  persons  present.  In  the  evening  Pa, 
Mat  and  I  went  to  church  service ;  Mr.  Nixon  preached. 

July  26 :  Gazelle  and  I  picked  some  raspberries  and  made 
jam. 

July  28  :  1  went  berry  picking  with  some  ladies  from  Cum- 
mins— when  I  came  back  to  camp  found  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blackburn, 
daughter  and  niece,  Mrs.  Wyman  and  Mrs.  Kelly,  calling  on 
Mother.  They  all  went  to  gather  berries  afterwards.  Yesterday 
was  Mother's  58th  birthday. 

July  29 :  John  and  Mat  began  hauling  lumber  to  Laramie. 
Pa  and  I  went  to  the  Betsy  Jane  Mine  and  called  on  Mrs.  Black- 
burn. Mrs.  Wyman,  Mrs.  Kelly  and  Dr.  Watson  with  his  sister 
Mary  went  with  us  to  the  Quartz  mill. 

July  30 :  Pa,  Gazelle  and  I  went  to  gather  berries  and 
Mother  had  another  caller,  Mrs.  Pollock,  who  knew  John's  wife 
in  Wisconsin. 

July  31 :  Wrote  letters  in  the  A.  M.  Afternoon,  Father, 
Mother,  John  and  I  went  to  Sunday  School.  Father  preached 
in  the  evening.  Mrs.  Bacon,  Mrs.  Watkins,  Miss  Watkins  and  I 
were  the  only  ladies  there. 

August  1 :  Mat  took  a  load  of  lumber  to  Laramie.  Pa  and 
John  went  down  to  Cummins  to  help  him  and  came  across  Mat 
Derley  of  Hennepin,  111.  He  is  a  relative  of  Martha's  (John's 
wife).  The  men  went  hunting — started  for  Tie  Park — came 
back  before  dark. 

August  2:  Sue  (the  mule)  was  sick  so  Mat  did  not  return 
till  after  dark.  Pa  and  John  engaged  to  get  10  cords  of  wood — ■ 
8  ft.  long  for  $25.00. 

August  3 :  John  and  Mat  chopped  and  hauled  two  loads 
of  wood  to  the  quartz  mill  and  Father  hauled  a  load  of  lumber 
to  Cummins  for  Beard  &  Thomas. 


THE  SPEAES  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  113 

August  4:  John  and  Mat  hauled  three  loads  of  wood  and 
Pa  hauled  one  load  of  lumber.  A  balloon  passed  OA^er  about 
sunset. 

August  6 :  They  took  the  wood  to  Cummins  and  broke  a 
reach  so  did  not  get  back  until  noon.  Pa  went  down  town  on 
horseback  and  took  supper  at  the  Betsy  Jane.  Mr.  Wyman  and 
his  little  girl  came  for  medicine  for  the  baby.  The  people  in 
Cummins  had  a  fracas  with  Milo  Kendall — the  Constable — and 
drove  him  away. 

August  7 :  Father  and  I  went  to  meeting  in  the  morning 
and  heard  Mr.  Sanders  read  his  sermon.  Six  of  us  went  to  Sun- 
day School  in  the  afternoon  and  Mr.  Derley  came  home  with  us 
and  stayed  all  night.  He  and  Father  went  hunting  up  to  Tie 
Park  on  the  8th  aud  John  and  Mat  took  two  loads  of  lumber  to 
Cummins.  I  read  "The  Fishers  of  Derby  Haven."  Rained 
very  hard. 

August  9 :  J.  and  M.  went  to  Laramie  with  lumber.  It 
rained  in  sheets  and  comforters  in  the  afternoon  and  we  sat  in 
the  tent  and  listened  to  Mr.  Derley  telling  how  he  found  the 
thieves  on  the  Kankakee  River — where  he  was  acting  as  a  detec- 
tive a  good  many  years  ago. 

August  11:  John's  team  strayed  away  Tuesday  night  aiid 
the  bo3'S  had  to  hunt  for  them.  Pa  was  so  worried  that  he  started 
to  Laramie  to  look  for  the  boys.  Mrs.  Gage,  Mrs.  Edmunds  and 
several  boys  passed  on  their  way  to  the  berry  patch.  It  stormed. 
I  started  down  to  Hardings  and  met  Bacon,  'Sir.  Derley  and 
Gazelle  coming  up — rode  back  with  them. 

August  12 :  Very  foggy.  No  man  in  camp  so  G.  and  I 
had  to  hunt  up  Kitty  and  Kizer,  the  little  mules — which  we  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  after  a  great  deal  of  tramping.  The  men  came 
back  and  brought  letters. 

August  13 :  Mrs.  Harding  and  I  Avent  berrying.  John 
hunted  for  Kitty  and  Kizer  and  found  them  helping  themselves 
to  pie  in  Mrs.  Watkins'  kitchen  Avindow. 

August  11 :  Father,  John,  Gazelle  and  I  went  to  the  scliool 
house  and  Father  preached.  About  50  people  present.  It  rained. 
Mr.  Peabody  and  ]\Ir.  Banks  addressed  the  S.  S.  A  Bible  reading 
Avas  given  in  the  evening. 

August  15 :  Mr.  Linn  came  to  our  camp  and  told  us  about 
the  route  up  to  the  northern  part  of  Wyoming  and  about  the 
fish,  game,  lovely  water  and  tillable  lands  on  Goose  Creek — as  lie 
had  seen  it  in  passing  thru.  Mr.  Banks  and  ]\Iiss  Forbes  came 
and  borroAved  my  side  saddle.  Mrs.  Gage  and  Mrs.  AYatkins  came 
for  a  fcAV  minutes.  Jolni  and  Mat  put  their  wagon  boxes  back  on 
the  running  gears. 

August  16:  We  packed  the  wagons.  Mr.  Peabody,  Avife 
and  two  boA's,  Mr.  Banks,  :\Ir.  Sales,  Elder  Watson  (of  Laramie), 


114  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Mrs.  Cook  and  Mr.  Blackburn  came  to  makeTis^iTareWell  call. 
We  started  while  it  was  raining  and  passed  thru  Cummins. 
Camped  that  night  about  eight  miles  from  there  beside  an 
irrigating  ditch. 

August  17 :  We  stopped  at  Sodogreen  's  to  get  some  good 
water  to  drink  and  stopped  near  Hvitton's  ranche  to  get  our 
dinner.  It  stormed  but  we  finished  our  journey  to  Laramie  and 
camped  on  the  West  side  of  the  river.  Father  and  mother  went 
to  stay  all  night  at  Blackburn's. 

August  18:  We  went  shopping  at  Wagner's  and  I  bought 
a  pair  of  shoes  $2.50,  a  porte  monnai  50c,  gloves  $1.00,  3  hdkfs. 
50c,  and  then  went  to  Mrs.  Blackburn's  and  she  gave  me  4 
chromos.  We  went  to  the  ticket  office  to  see  a  huge  stuffed  bear 
and  in  the  evening  went  to  prayer  meeting  at  the  Baptist  Church. 
Mrs.  Andrews,  Mrs.  Barron,  Mrs.  Bannon,  Mrs.  Wilmot,  Mrs. 
K-iggs,  Elva  Bunker  and  some  other  ladies  were  there. 

August  19:  AVe.left  Laramie  and  traveled  thru  red  earth 
and  sand  for  18  miles  and  camped  by  the  Lewis  Ranch  all  night. 
Came  down  the  Laramie  River. 

August  20 :  The  mules  had  straj^ed,  so  while  the  men  were 
hunting  them,  Mrs.  Lewis  and  her  sister  came  and  visited  with 
us  and  then  we  went  to  the  house  and  visited  them.  We  started 
as  soon  as  the  mules  were  found  and  crossed  the  river  at  Little 's 
ranche  and  came  up  Cooper  Lake  station,  past  the  steam  con- 
struction for  forcing  the  water  to  the  R.  R.  tank,  then  thru 
green  brush  and  swamps  to  a  road  on  the  north  side  of  the  R.  R. 
and  to  the  head  of  a  lake  near  a  snowshed,  where  we  camped  for 
the  night. 

Sunday,  August  21 :  The  mules  were  all  gone  to  the  Lara- 
mie River  so  the  men  had  to  go  after  them.  Pa  shot  an  antelope, 
2  miles  from  camp  and  Gazelle  helped  him  bring  it  up  before 
breakfast.  Mr.  Clark  and  wife  from  Cedarville,  Kansas,  passed 
us  and  went  to  Lookout  station  to  camp.  As  it  was  a  better  camp 
and  they  were  going  to  northern  Wyoming  too,  we  moved  camp 
to  Lookout  station  for  the  night. 

August  22 :  We  traveled  thru  sand  and  cobblestones  to 
Rock  Creek  station  and  camped  there.  Father  found  that  the 
Mr.  Thayer  who  owned  the  store  there  was  a  cousin  of  his  first 
wife  (Maria  Morse).  Mr.  Thayer's  two  fine  looking  sons  came 
to  camp  to  call  on  us  and  Mr.  John  Thayer  came  and  spent  the 
evening.  He  has  been  a  U.  S.  Senator  from  Nebraska,  and  Gov- 
ernor of  Wyoming.  J.  W.  Austin  and  family  were  camped  at 
this  place  also  with  some  young  people  of  their  party  and  we 
enjoyed  hearing  them  sing  in  the  evening.  "Tenting  on  the  Old 
Camp  Ground"  and  "My  Pretty  Quardoon"  were  especially 
sweet  to  hear  in  the  open  air. 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  115 

August  23 :  We  came  nine  miles  up  into  the  hills  and 
stopped  for  dinner.  There  Avas  neither  wood,  water  or  grass  bnt 
rocks  all  around  and  sand  and  red  earth.  In  the  afternoon  we 
reached  the  22  mile  ranche  and  camped — no  wood,  poor  grass 
but  very  good  water.  Mrs.  Evans  who  lived  there  invited  us  in 
to  have  some  music  in  the  evening. 

August  24 :  We  traveled  over  a  rocky  sandy  road  to  Yan- 
kee's  ranche — camped  for  dinner  and  fomid  to  our  surprise  that 
they  had  a  piano  there.  Afternoon  we  passed  Mountain  Home 
ranche — entered  La  Bonte  Canyon  and  camped  beside  the  stream 
in  a  beautiful  spot  with  the  wooded  clift's  towering  above  us. 
The  ruins  of  an  old  stage  station  were  there  and  the  grave  of  a 
murdered  man  (Ed  Hewitt — July  15,  1878)  himself  a  murderer. 
A  lonely  place  but  with  the  Clark  and  Austin  party  and  some 
soldiers  who  were  camped  there  we  became  a  little  village  of 
white  tents. 

August  25  :  We  passed  Hall's  ranche  and  stopped  at  Point 
of  Rocks  Station  at  noon,  then  at  Point  of  Rocks  filled  our  keg 
with  water  and  came  over  the  mountains.  Camped  beside  the 
LaParele  creek  in  the  canyon.     Found  Mr.  Austin's  kitten. 

August  26:  We  passed  Slaymaker's  ranche  and  got  some 
w^ater  at  ^lason's  cut  olf,  came  Avithin  15  miles  of  Ft.  Fetterman 
and  stopped  for  dinner,  where  there  was  a  ranche.  Came  12 
miles  to  Spring  Canyon  ranche  and  a  half  mile  farther  we 
eampecl  beside  the  La  Parele  again. 

August  27 :  We  passed  Ft.  Fetterman  and  crossed  the 
North  Platte  bridge  thru  sand  15  mile  to  Sage  Creek  station  and 
camped.  We  Avent  to  the  Clark  and  Austin  camp  and  had  a 
good  time  singing  again. 

Sunday,  August  28 :  The  Clarks  and  Austins  Avent  on  to 
Brown's  Springs.  A  Texas  Ranger  got  his  breakfast  with  us 
and  told  us  stories  of  his  adventures.  A  Dutchman.  Winters, 
came  after  dark  and  got  a  cup  of  tea.  Mr.  Winters  and  Mr. 
Fifield  ate  breakfast  with  us.  We  came  12  miles  to  BroAvn's 
Springs  and  stopped  for  dinner.  In  the  afternoon  Ave  passed 
Dry  Cheyenne  station.  9  miles  from  there  Ave  reached  Stinking 
Water  creek  and  1  miles  farther  to  Sand  Creek  AA'here  Ave  camped 
for  the  night.  We  first  saAV  sage  hens  this  afternoon  and  killetl 
several. 

August  30 :  We  found  the  water  tasted  of  sage  and  our 
sage  hens  tasted  of  sage  and  Avhen  ^Mother  sent  me  after  Avhole 
pepper  and  told  me  to  grind  it  in  the  coffee  mill,  I  got  cuble 
berries  instead — so  our  breakfast  Avas  veiy  spicy.  Five  miles 
from  there  Ave  passed  Antelope  ranche  and  Avhen  Father  went 
to  the  door  to  make  inquiries  there  AA'ere  8  men,  one  Mr.  Fifield, 
gambling,  Avhich  so  horrified  him  tliat  Ave  hurried  away  and 
drove  tAvo  miles  farther  thru  sandbeds  and  stopped  for  dinner 


116  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING. 


in  a  dry  creek  bed.  After  dinner  we  came  about  14  miles  and 
struck  a  roundup.  They  gave  us  some  meat.  It  was  dark  but 
we  kept  on  until  we  reached  Hathaway 's  old  ranche  or  17  Mile  R. 
and  camped  beside  Mr.  Clark's  outfit. 

August  31:  We  traveled  17  miles  to  Hathaway 's  new 
ranche,  crossed  Powder  R.  and  camped  near  old  Ft.  Reno.  Pa 
saw  two  Englishmen  who  were  going  to  the  "Big  'Orn."  Some 
of  the  cowboys  and  Mr.  Fifield  came  down  and  Pa  preached  to 
them.  John  was  sick.  Mr.  Clark  was  very  much  excited  as  he 
considers  all  cowboys  desperate  characters.  He  drew  all  his 
canvas  down  tight  around  his  wagon,  crawled  inside  and  kept 
his  hand  on  his  gun  until  they  all  left  camp. 

September  1 :  We  left  old  Ft.  McKinney  depot — stopped 
at  Steve  F'arwell's  store  for  some  supplies  and  came  on  to  the 
Nine  Mile  Hole  where  we  camped  for  dinner.  It  was  so  warm 
and  windy  we  could  scarcely  keep  our  eyes  open  to  drive  so  we 
decided  to  stay  here  until  tomorrow  as  there  is  a  prospect  of 
getting  some  antelope.  Pa  and  a  ranchman  went  hunting  but 
they  failed  to  find  any  antelope.  An  old  man  who  looks  as  if 
he  and  beer  were  boon  companions  camped  beside  us  this  evening 
and  he  informed  us  that  he  is  Colonel  McConihe. 

September  2 :  Mr.  Lambert  and  McConihe  ate  breakfast 
with  us.  We  came  18  miles  to  Crazy  Woman's  Fork  and  Har- 
ris's ranche,  and  ate  dinner — then  six  miles  farther  and  camped 
for  the  night.  Weather  very  cold.  Mr.  McConihe  ate  supper 
with  us. 

September  3  :  McC.  ate  breakfast  with  us  and  the  English- 
men with  Mr.  Scrithers  came  along  just  as  we  started.  We  came 
by  the  Nine  and  Six  Mile  ranches  and  stopped  on  Clear  Creek 
near  Ft.  McKinney.  Father  went  over  to  the  fort  and  made  an 
appointment  to  preach  in  the  Company  quarters  at  3  o'clock  on 
Sunday.     Mr.  Lenney  came  back  with  him. 

September  4 :  Father  and  I  went  to  meeting  in  one  of  the 
buildings  used  for  the  telegraph  office.  Mr.  Lang  was  usher, 
and  the  house  was  crowded.  As  we  were  returning  to  camp  it 
began  to  blow  and  storm — exceedingly  cold  to  us  for  this  time 
of  year.  Emily  Fordice  came  to  camp  and  visited  a  long  time. 
Rained  tonight. 

September  5 :  Pa  got  some  fresh  vegetables — 3  cabbages, 
5  cucumbers,  2  beets  and  some  turnips  and  onions — which  taste 
good  to  us.  The  Clear  Creek  water  is  so  delicious  that  we  can 
hardly  get  enough  of  it  after  all  the  alkali  and  sage  flavored 
water  we  have  been  forced  to  drink  on  our  way  up  here.  This 
evening  Mr.  Sparks,  Co.  A.  cornet  player,  and  Mr.  Ackerman, 
the  trumpeter  of  Co.  G.  9th  Cav.,  came  over  and  spent  the 
evening. 


THE  SPEAES  OF  SHEEIDAN  COUNTY  117 

September  6 :  We  woke  up  to  find  the  ground  covered  with 
snow^     Got  our  letters  and  papers  so  read  them. 

September  7  :  We  started  out  again — came  thru  Butfalo 
and  about  4  miles  from  Snyder's  to  Rock  Creek — stopped  for 
dinner.  Mr.  Fifield  went  by  on  horseback.  We  came  on  past 
Lake  DeSmet  to  Sturgis  ranche  (Buttermilk  Sturgis)  on  Shell 
Creek  and  camped.  While  w^e  were  spending  the  evening  with 
the  Sturgis  family,  Miss  Lida  Davis,  Miss  Burgess  and  Mr. 
Babeoek  came  to  ask  Miss  Sturgis  to  go  to  a  dance  at  Sonnes- 
berg'ers. 

September  8 :  Mr.  Sturgis,  Father  and  John  went  to  Big 
Piney  to  look  for  a  ranche.     I  read  "Milbank. " 

September  9 :  It  rained.  Pa  and  John  went  to  Piney 
again  but  came  back  "without  finding  one. 

September  10:  Miss  Davis,  Miss  Burgess,  Mr.  Snider  and 
another  man  rode  past,  on  their  way  to  Big  Horn.  Pa  and  John 
went  to  Goose  Creek.  I  read  "Marian  Grey"  (consider  it  slush) 
— Kept  the  mules  from  straying  and  killed  a  rattlesnake. 

September  11,  Sunday:  I  read  "Work  or  Christie's  Ex- 
perience" over  again.  Sid  Sturgis,  prospective  Sherift'  James, 
Mr.  Fifield,  and  Oliver  Hanna  called  at  Sturgis.  Mr.  Hersey 
and  Mr.  Cams  came  by.  A  theatre  troupe  went  by,  going  to 
Ft.  McKinney. 

September  12 :  Miss  Wright  and  her  brother  stopped  here 
on  their  way  home  from  Sonnesbergers.  Mr.  Canning  and  some 
other  folks,  from  the  fort,  went  by  a  fishing.  Mr.  C.  stopped  to 
buy  some  sugar  . 

September  13 :  Father  and  John  came  back  and  ^Ir.  Wolfe 
came  with  them  to  see  the  harness,  wagon,  and  the  white  mules 
"Sam  and  Sue"  which  father  is  trading  for  160  acres  on  Little 
Goose  Creek,  li^  miles  above  Big  Horn. 

September  14:  We  left  Shell  Creek  and  ate  our  dinner 
near  Mr.  TerrilFs  ranche,  where  Mr.  Wright  is  living.  Came 
by  way  of  Meade's  cut-oft'  to  Little  Goose  Creek  and  saw  our 
new  home  in  all  the  glory  of  autumn  tints  in  the  leaves  of  the 
wild  plum  and  choke  cherries,  cottonwood,  quaking  asp.  birch 
and  willow.  We  are  content  with  the  two  room  cabin  for  a 
haven  of  rest  after  three  months  of  camping,  although  doorways 
and  window  openings  have  to  be  covered  with  blankets  and 
sheets.  Doors  and  windows  cannot  be  gotten  short  of  Cheyenne 
or  Laramie. 

September  15 :  They  set  the  stakes  around  the  claim.  We 
ate  breakfast  with  Mr.  Wolfe.  Gazelle  got  a  small  pail  full  of 
plums.  I  saw  three  snakes.  We  put  up  John's  stove.  ^Ir. 
Clark  came  over  a  few  moments. 

September  16 :  Gazelle  and  I  went  berrying  and  got  some 
plums,  black  and  yellow  currants  and  chokecherries.    ^Ir.  Thomp- 


118  ANNALS  OP^VYOMING 

son  came  and  borrowed  the  buggy  to  take  Tillie  to  Mrs.  Sturgis'. 
A  Tennesseean  was  around  here  looking  for  land.  Pa  went  to 
the  P.  0.  and  Mr.  Martin  (or  Buckskin)  wanted  him  to  go  and 
see  a  man  82  years  old  who  had  broken  his  leg. 

September  17  :  Pa  went  to  see  Mr.  Brennan  and  got  back 
while  we  were  eating  dinner.  A  soldier  was  here  looking  for 
horses  and  Mr.  Jackson's  boy  came  by  to  show  some  trout  he 
had  caught. 

September  18,  Sunday  :  Mr.  Clark  came  over  and  John 
went  home  with  him  and  stayed  to  dinner.  Mrs.  Wagner  and 
her  son,  Harry  Burgess,  went  by  on  horseback.  At  3  o'clock  Pa 
preached  at  Mr.  Thompson's.  Mrs.  Clark  came  down,  and  all 
went  to  meeting  but  Mother,  Nora,  Emily  and  I.  It  blowed  a 
gale  from  the  southwest,  at  night. 

September  19 :  They  took  the  hind  axletrees  and  wheels 
off  from  Frank's  wagon  to  put  on  Mr.  Wolfe's  wagon.  Gazelle 
got  her  machine  out  and  set  it  up.  I  cut  out  Mother's  dress. 
Pa  went  to  the  P.  0.  Mr.  Thompson  brought  the  buggy  back 
in  the  morning.  We  stretched  the  tent  over  the  roof  of  the  south 
room  and  moved  in. 

September  20 :  They  finished  putting  the  roof  on  the  north 
room  and  went  after  lime.  I  Avashed  in  the  forenoon  and  after- 
noon made  the  flounce  on  Mother's  dress.  Mrs.  Jackson  came 
on  horseback  and  called  on  us. 

September  21 :  We  found  some  bear  tracks.  Pa  finished 
the  table  before  breakfast.  John  filled  up  the  cracks  on  one  side 
of  the  roof. 

September  22 :  I  went  to  the  P.  0.  and  the  stage  had  gone. 
They  filled  up  some  of  the  cracks  and  put  a  lot  of  dirt  on  the 
roof.     I  fixed  my  velvet  sacque  and  felt  hat. 

September  23 :  Gazelle  and  I  gathered  some  more  plums. 
Father  cut  the  door  thru  the  partition  into  the  north  room. 
Mrs.  Wolfe  and  I  went  up  to  Davis'  on  horseback  for  some  onions. 
May  Davis  came  down  horseback.    It  rained. 

September  24 :  Cold  and  windy.  They  muddied  up  the 
sides  of  the  north  room.  We  ironed.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W^olfe  and 
Mr.  Benefil  came  over  and  spent  the  evening. 

Sunday,  September  25 :  Last  night  a  skunk  got  into  the 
kitchen  under  the  stove  and  Pa  lighted  him  out  with  a  torch.  It 
rained  and  snowed  all  day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolfe  and  Mrs.  F. 
Benefil  came  over — stayed  all  day  and  ate  dinner  with  us.  In 
the  evening  we  had  some  singing.  They  heard  some  one  scream- 
ing down  the  creek — and  a  horse  trotting  around — got  out  their 
guns  and  had  a  great  excitement  going. 

September  26 :  I  fixed  ray  waterproof  skirt.  A  wagon 
load  of  soldiers  and  their  wives  with  Mrs.  Thompson  went  up 
the  creek  and  came  back  thru  here. 


THE  SPEAES  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  119 

September  27 :  Pa  went  to  the  P.  0.  and  back  by  Thomp- 
son's and  then  up  to  Davis'  and  got  some  elk  meat.  ^Ir.  Wolfe 
and  famil}^  moved  to  their  new  house. 

September  28:  Pa  and  Ma  went  up  to  Mr.  Davis'  and 
stayed  till  about  2  or  3  o'clock,  came  back  by  Mr.  Weatherwax's 
and  saw  Mrs.  Clark.  They  heard  that  Mr.  Lambert  was  mur- 
dered a  few  days  after  we  were  there  (Sept.  2)  by  a  couple  of 
cowboys. 

September  29 :  Cold  and  rainy.  Mr.  Wolfe  and  Fillmore 
Benefil  came  over  to  dig-  potatoes.  John  and  Pa  killed  20  ducks, 
and  John  took  three  over  to  Mrs.  Wolfe.  Thev  sold  a  cow  and 
calf  to  John  for  $35.00. 

September  30 :  Ducky  ducky  doodle.  Mr.  W.  and  F.  over 
to  dig  potatoes.  We  bought  900  pounds  of  potatoes  at  3  cents 
per  lb.  amounting  to  $27.00.  Pa  killed  4  ducks.  Ma  washed.  I 
trimmed  my  black  straw.     John  went  to  the  P.  0. 

October  1 :  Mr.  AVolfe  came  to  borrow  15  lbs.  of  tlour.  Mr. 
Willits  and  another  man  came  over  to  get  John  to  go  to  Chey- 
enne, with  his  two  span  of  mules.  John  went  to  see  Mr.  Clark 
about  his  wagon.  Mr.  Wolfe  came  to  get  the  wagon  to  haul  hay. 
School  meeting  day. 

October  2  :  Sunday  forenoon  Pa  went  over  to  ^Ir.  Wolfe 's 
and  borrowed  a  paper  containing  an  account  of  President  Gar- 
field's death  and  Arthur's  inauguration.  Afternoon,  Father, 
Mother,  John  and  I  went  to  meeting  at  Mr.  Thompson's.  Mr. 
Wolfe  and  wife,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willets  and  2  children,  JNIrs.  Jack- 
son, Miss  Burgess,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark,  Mr.  and  ^Mrs.  Davis  with 
May  and  Lida,  Gale  Grinnell  and  brother,  and  several  othere  I 
did  not  know  were  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C  stopped  here  on  their 
way  home  and  borrowed  Rose  Thorpe's  "Ambition." 

October  3 :  ■\Ir.  Willets  hired  man  was  here,  also  Mr. 
Willets.  Pa  went  to  the  P.  0.  John  went  to  see  ^Ir.  Clark  and 
then  went  to  Olstein  and  Hills. 

October  4:  Mr.  Willets  came  over  to  change  the  program 
and  just  take  the  mules.  Filmore  came  to  dig  potatoes  and  bor- 
rowed my  saddle.     Cold  and  misty. 

October  5 :  Pa  went  to  hunt  the  little  mules — went  into 
Mr.  Hurlbut  's  a  few  moments.  ]Mr.  Welch  came  to  sell  us  some 
meat.  We  bought  25  lbs.  $1.00.  xV  man  came  to  get  John  to  go 
to  Thompson's  and  help  thresh  and  he  went.     Pa  went  too. 

October  6:  Pa  fixed  his  buggy  and  John  helped  him. 
Gazelle  and  Ma  made  some  Chapparel  berry  pies  and  cookies. 

October  7 :  Cool  and  windy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolfe  and  2 
boys  came  over  in  the  morning.  At  1  o'clock  Pa  and  I  siarted 
and  went  to  IMr.  Stanley's.  ]\Iiss  Ella  Peyton  was  there.  From 
there  we  went  to  ^Ir.  Sturgis'  and  stayed  all  niglit. 


120  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

October  8 :  We  went  to  Mr.  Snider 's  and  took  dinner. 
From  there  to  Buffalo  where  Thomas  was  having  his  trial  for 
killing  Jack  Lambert.  We  went  to  the  fort,  to  Conrad's  house 
where  we  ate  supper  and  stayed  all  night. 

October  9 ;  Sunday  :  They  had  dress  parade  and  13  can- 
nons in  honor  of  Pres.  Garfield  and  firing  of  the  cannons  every 
half  hour.  Mr.  Ackerman  came  over  at  twelve  for  us  to  go  to 
Mr.  Zentler's  and  we  ate  dinner  there.  We  went  to  the  dining 
room  of  Co.  H  and  held  meeting.  Mat  came  down  and  we  got 
our  team  and  things.  Left  and  went  to  Snider 's  put  out  the 
team  and  walked  to  the  court-house.  I  was  introduced  to  Mrs. 
Erhart  and  Nellie  by  Mr.  James.  Pa  preached  and  went  home 
with  Snider  and  I  stayed  with  Nellie. 

October  10 :  Pa  came  to  town — went  to  Ft.  McK.  then 
came  back  to  Erhart 's  and  took  dinner.  From  there  we  went 
to  Snider 's  then  on  to  Sturgis's  and  stayed  all  night. 

October  11:  We  came  up  to  Stanley's  and  ate  dinner. 
Mrs.  S.  lent  Mark  Twain's  "Roughing  It"  to  me.  Stormy  and 
misty.  We  came  home.  A  letter  from  Frank  had  come,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  had  been  down. 

October  12 :  Mr.  AA^olfe  came  and  had  a  tooth  pulled. 
Snowy.  Mr.  Thompson  came  over.  Mr.  Mock  came  to  get  Father 
to  preach  a  funeral  sermon  for  Mrs.  Mock  on  Tongue  River.  He 
ate  dinner  with  us. 

October  13 :  Pa  went  to  Tongue  R.  Frank  and  Mr.  Tom 
Adams  came.    Mr.  Wolfe  was  over.     Cool  but  pleasant. 

October  14:  John  and  Frank  went  to  Willits  and  Clarks. 
Lindsay  King  came. 

Willis  Spear  Becomes  a  Rancher 

Just  before  their  marriage,  Willis  Spear  bought  the  home- 
stead of  Virginia's  father  which  joined  that  of  his  own  father, 
Willis  Bradford  Spear,  Sr.  The  agreement^^  which  concluded  the 
transaction  is  now  in  the  possession  of  a  daughter,  Elsa  Spear 
Byron,  and  reads: 

"George  W.  Benton  agrees  to  give  up  his  Eanehe  to  Willis  Spear 
Nove  8th  1885  on  the  following  conditions  to  wit: 

Willis  Spear  gives  Geo.  W.  Benton  2  mares  &  their  colts,  2  two  year 

old  colts  and  one  year  old  colt. 

Also    one    hundred    dollars    on    demand,    part    in    lunches    &    part    in 

money  as  Geo.  W.  Benton  shall  wish. 

Also  Willis  Spear  shall  give  to  Geo.  W.  Benton  his  note   signed  by 

his  father  also  for  $120.00  payable  in  one  year  at  12  per  cent  interest. 

Willis   Spear   agrees   to   give    Gazelle    Stephensonl2    a    written    agree 

nient  that  she  can  remain  with  her  family  and  have  and  possess  her 

own  family   house   and  stable  and   one   acre  of  land  fenced  by  her 

just  as  long  as  she  pleases." 


11.  The  agreement  has  been  copied  verbatim. — Ed. 

12.  Sister  of  Virginia  Belle  Benton  Spear. 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  121 

In  the  spring  of  1885,  the  owner  of  the  Wrench  Ranch  near 
Sheridan  bonght  and  sowed  five  hundred  pounds  of  alfalfa  seed, 
which  he  hired  Willis  to  thresh  that  fall,  giving  hira  ten  pounds 
of  seed  in  return  for  threshing  the  fifty  acres  of  alfalfa — the  first 
crop  of  alfalfa  in  this  section  of  the  country.  The  next  year  he 
secured  additional  seed  for  his  services,  and  in  three  years  he 
had  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  his  own  in  alfalfa.  During 
the  hard  winter  of  '88,  when  the  snow  was  two  feet  deep  on  the 
level  ground  from  Massacre  Hill  to  Powder  River,  most  people 
were  forced  to  sell  their  cattle  for  lack  of  feed.  Willis,  who  now 
had  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons  of  hay  put  up,  bought  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  head  of  cattle  at  ten  dollars  per  head  and  wintered 
them. 

Career  as  Stockman  Begins 

A  drought  followed  this  hard  winter,  and  stockmen  shipped 
their  cattle  to  Omaha.  Willis  went  down  there  and  bought  at 
one  to  three  cents  a  pound  four  hundred  head  of  calves,  which  he 
wintered.  The  next  spring  he  sold  the  steer  calves  at  a  price 
varying  from  six  to  eighteen  dollars,  enabling  him  to  pay  off  his 
debts  and  still  have  one  hundred  and  fifty  yearling  heifers  in 
the  clear. 

In  1896  Willis  and  his  brother  "Doc"^^  formed  the  Spear 
Brothers'  Cattle  Company,  which  they  gradually  built  into  one 
of  the  largest  and  best  known  outfits  on  the  range.  Around  1912 
their  range  ran  from  the  Wyoming  line  north  to  the  YelloAvstone 
River  on  the  east  side  of  the  Crow  Reservation  and  included  over 
a  million  and  a  quarter  acres.  This  lease  was  ninety  miles  hmg 
and  over  twenty  miles  wide.  They  ran  thirty-two  thousand  head 
of  cattle  of  their  own  and  twenty-six  thousand  head  belonging  to 
other  cattle  companies. 

In  those  days,  before  the  advent  of  the  automobile,  it  was  a 
tremendous  task  to  personally  oversee  such  a  luige  enterprise. 
When  it  was  necessary  to  cover  the  range,  "Uncle  Willis"  used 
to  hitch  the  ' 'Billies,"  his  matchless  team,  "Billy  Donaldson" 
and  "Billy  Pickering,"  to  the  cart,  and  with  a  boy  along  to  open 
gates,  would  drive  through  from  the  ranch  at  Big  Horn  to 
Powcler  River,  ninety  miles,  in  one  day.  And  the  horses  were 
fresh  enough  to  make  the  trip  back  the  next  day ! 

The  start  of  such  a  drive  was  dramatic.  One  man  stood  at 
the  horses'  heads  while  a  second  hitched  the  traces.  "Slv.  Spear 
sat  in  the  cart  with  the  lines  in  his  hands.  The  minute  the  man 
let  go  the  bits,  straight  into  the  air  the  team  Avould  leap  and  off 
they  would  go  at  a  pace  that  ate  up  the  miles.  :\Ir.  Spear 
frequently   traveled   the   country   between   his   ranches   on    tlie 


13.     William    Hulett    Spoar,    born    October    2'-l,    ISlKi,    in    Rockport. 
Missouri. 


122  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Powder  River  and  the  Crow  Reservation,  where  headquarters 
were  maintained  at  what  was  known  as  the  Forty-Mile  Ranch, 
passing  through  the  Clear  Creek  Valley  where  was  located  the 
Number  Two  Ranch. 

When  Mr.  Spear  launched  into  the  cattle  game  in  Wyoming 
and  Montana,  the  Southwest  was  producing  the  famed  Texas 
longhorns  in  uncounted  thousands,  but  that  country  had  neither 
sufficient  market  to  absorb  them  nor  late  grass  to  feed  them.  In 
the  North,  on  the  other  hand,  were  millions  of  acres  of  grassland 
that  was  both  good  and  free,  grown  there  by  Mother  Nature  to 
feed  the  fast-disappearing  buffalo.  Someone  started  driving 
cattle — -lured  northward  by  the  spring  grass,  league  by  league, 
over  the  thousand-mile-long  Texas  Trail  to  the  plains  and  foot- 
hills east  of  the  Big  Horns,  from  the  Platte  River  to  the  Yellow- 
stone and  beyond,  where  they  took  on  weight  and  could  be  readily 
marketed  at  a  profit — if  everything  went  just  right.  From  1899 
to  1914  Mr.  Spear  made  a  trip  nearly  every  year  to  Texas  and 
Old  Mexico,  buying  longhorns  and  shipping  them  to  his  Wyo- 
ming ranches. 

Winters  of  Montana  and  Wyoming,  1874-1929 

Wj^oming  winters  played  an  important  part  in  the  livestock 
industry.  Mr.  Spear  often  reviewed  the  weather  from  1874  to 
1929,  a  period  of  fifty-five  years. 

"The  winter  of  1898  and  "99  was  good  until  January 
seventeenth,  when  a  wet  snow  started  and  about  the  twenty-first 
it  turned  cold.  The  lower  wire  of  the  fence  went  out  of  sight 
between  Big  Horn  and  Sheridan  the  twenty-third,  and  I  never 
saw  it  again  for  sixty-seven  days.  Thirty-five  degrees  below  was 
the  warmest  morning  we  had  for  two  weeks.  Fifty-four  was  the 
coldest.  One  day  it  was  forty  below  at  noon.  We  had  a  few 
warm  days  about  March  first.  The  rest  of  the  time  it  was  below 
freezing  all  day  and  below  zero  mornings.  April  first  brought  a 
blizzard  that  killed  a  great  manv  cattle. 

"The  winters  of  74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  79,  '83- "84,  1910- '11, 
'17- '18,  '21- '22  were  all  average  or  good  winters  and  weren't 
very  cold. 

"During  the  winter  of  1879  and  1880  the  snow  fell  three 
feet  deep  and  all  the  cattle  had  to  be  fed.  There  was  no  hay  for 
the  horses.  They  went  high  up  on  the  south  side  of  the  mountain 
where  the  grass  was  good  and  the  side  steep  so  they  could  paw 
snow  down  the  hill.  I  was  in  snowshoes  for  eleven  days,  as  the 
only  way  I  could  get  to  them  was  by  this  means.  I  would  get  oft 
my  snowshoes  and  stand  up  against  the  snow  where  they  were 
pawing,  and  the  top  of  the  snow  would  be  even  with  the  top  of 
my  overalls.     We  had  no  loss,  but  the  ranchers  whose  horses 


THE  SPEAE8  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  123 

remained  in  level  or  rolling-  conntry  suffered  a  loss  of  about 
twenty  per  cent. 

"The  winter  of  1886  was  a  hard  one.  Very  little  hay  was 
provided  at  that  time  for  cattle,  and  from  one-third  to  one-half 
of  the  cattle  died  and  a  great  many  droves  of  saddle  horses  that 
were  driven  up  from  Texas  the  summer  before  were  lost.  Graham 
Brothers  started  from  Junction,  Montana,  with  freight  for 
Sheridan  and  Buffalo  with  ninety-four  j^oke  of  oxen.  The  first 
storm  hit  them  near  Lodge  Grass.  They  pulled  the  wagons  into 
a  circle  and  stayed  there  all  winter.  The  bullwhackers  kept  the 
oxen  out  on  the  ridges  where  the  snow  had  blown  off'  and  they 
got  along  fairly  well.  About  February  first  there  came  a  blizzard 
that  lasted  several  days.  After  it  was  over,  they  could  only  find 
thirty-five  head  of  the  oxen ;  the  others  were  never  found,  dead 
or  alive.  The  stage  from  Rock  Creek,  AVyoming,  to  Junction, 
had  to  stick  bushes  into  the  ground  every  fifty  feet  so  the  driver 
could  follow  the  road.  There  were  few  lanes  or  worked  roads 
those  days. 

"From  the  spring  of  1893  until  the  winter  of  1909,  with  the 
exception  of  '98- '99,  the  winters  were  fairly  good.  There  was 
plenty  of  hay  at  the  Dana^^  ranches  near  Parkman,  Wyoming, 
where  we  were  feeding  our  cattle.  We  broke  trails  through  the 
range  with  horses  and  followed  up  with  four  horse  loads  of  hay. 
We  had  about  three  thousand  cows  and  calves  near  the  ranch  and 
we  gathered  most  of  them.  North  of  Miles  City  it  never  warmed 
up  until  about  April  first.  Part  of  the  time  the  Great  Northern 
Railroad  ran  their  trains  through  Sheridan.  I  had  a  friend  who 
had  ten  thousand  lambs  forty  miles  north  of  Miles  City.  He  got 
them  into  a  sheltered  cove  thirteen  miles  from  his  ranch  and 
started  teams  hauling  hay.  The  wind  blew  continually  and  the 
lambs  had  to  face  it  to  get  to  the  ranch.  Several  times  he  started 
to  the  ranch  with  them  but  the  wind  commenced  blowing  and 
drove  him  back,  and  each  time  he  lost  about  five  hundred  of  the 
flock.  He  had  four  thousand  left  alive  out  of  the  ten  thousand 
when  the  storm  subsided. 

"The  winter  of  1911- '12  was  a  bad  one.  We  had  finished 
that  fall  receiving  the  Ed  Dana  cattle.  Sixteen  thousand  head 
were  received  in  1909- '10- '11.  We  branded  this  year  six  thousand 
five  hundred  calves  and  started  the  winter  with  about  thirty-two 
thousand  cattle  of  our  own.  We  were  also  ranging  ten  thousand 
for  R.  M.  Faddis,  five  thousaiul  southern  steers  for  E.  L.  Dana. 


14.  Edwin  L.  Dana,  stockgrowov  and  ranelinian.  was  born  in  Cali- 
fornia October  15,  1861;  in  lS(i("i  he  moved  with  his  parents  to  ^Lontana, 
and  in  1885  to  Sheridan  County,  Wyoming.  For  many  years  he  ran  one 
of  the  largest  herds  in  the  country  in  northern  Wyoming  and  southern 
Montana  and  on  the  Crow  Indian  Reservation.  Several  years  ago  he 
sold  these  interests  and  now  lives  in  Great  Falls,  Montana,  and  engages 
in  ranching  at  Cascade,  Montana. 


124  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

three  thousand  five  hundred  for  Jerome  Magee,  five  thousand  for 
J.  B.  Kendrick,  two  thousand  five  hundred  for  South  Omaha 
Stockyards  National  Bank.  We  had  seven  or  eight  ranches  of 
our  own,  besides  all  the  M.  H.  Leiter  ranches  on  Clear  Creek  and 
Crazy  Woman  Creek  in  Johnson  County.  It  was  so  dry  that  no 
grass  grew  in  the  Powder  River  Valley,  therefore  the  cattle  were 
moved  to  the  Crow  Reservation  and  fed.  About  the  last  of 
March  there  came  a  cold  wind  with  some  snow  that  blew  day 
and  night  for  ten  days.  On  the  thirteenth  of  April,  figuring 
the  cold  season  was  over,  we  quit  feeding  and  turned  the  herds 
out  on  the  range,  when  there  came  a  blizzard  that  killed  a  lot 
of  cattle.  We  estimated  that  we  lost  about  ten  thousand  head 
that  winter  ;  the  next  year's  calf  branding  was  only  two  thousand 
two  hundred  head. 

''In  '16  the  snow  fell  very  deep  along  the  Little  Horn  River. 
For  sixty  daj'S  snow  lay  on  the  river  valley  without  a  day  warm 
enough  to  melt  the  snow  on  the  north  side  of  the  houses. 

"In  the  summer  of  1919  there  was  very  little  rain  and  lots 
of  grasshoppers.  By  September  there  was  not  a  thing  left  for 
the  cattle  to  eat.  We  started  gathering  and  shipping  all  the 
cows,  heifers,  and  young  steers  to  Texas  where  they  had  an 
abundance  of  range.  Part  of  these  went  to  Lubbock,  Texas,  and 
part  of  them  went  to  El  Paso  and  then  east  to  the  Sierra  Blanca 
Mountains.  These  wintered  very  well,  and  out  of  slxtTen  thousand 
five  hundred  shipped,  all  were  brought  back  but  one  hundred 
and  eighty-five  head.  The  strongest  cattle  which  were  kept  up 
here  were  wintered  on  sagebrush  and  cottonseed  cakes.  There 
was  not  much  loss.  The  cattle  that  went  to  Texas  cost  about 
seventeen  dollars  per  head  for  transportation  to  Texas  and  back 
and  the  pasture  and  expense  while  there.  The  cattle  that  were 
wintered  and  fed  here  cost  about  twenty-seven  dollars  per  head. 

"The  summer  of  '21  was  dry  and  the  grasshoppers  ate  everj^- 
thing  as  they  did  in  the  summer  of  '19. 

"The  winter  of  '21  and  '22  was  about  as  severe  as  any 
we've  ever  had.  We  could  not  ship  the  cattle  to  Texas  as  there 
was  a  drouth  there, and  no  feed,  so  we  shipped  in  hay  here  from 
both  east  and  west  and  wintered  them  through  at  a  big  loss,  with 
approximately  twenty  dollars  per  head  expense.  From  then  on 
we  had  average  winters.  '28  and  '29  was  a  long  cold  winter  when 
the  thermometer  went  to  fifty  degrees  and  more  below  zero — the 
coldest  that  I  could  recollect  since  '98  and  '99." 

Become  Dude  Ranchers 

In  1915  the  Spear  Brothers  dissolved  partnership,  and 
Willis  Spear  organized  the  Spear-Zimmerman  Cattle  Company, 
which  later  became  the  Spear-Faddis  Company.     In   1920- '21 


THE  SPEAR8  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  125 

Mr.  Spear  disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  Spear-Faddis  outfit  to 
Mr.  Faddis. 

In  1922  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spear  launched  into  "dude"  ranching 
at  their  Big  Horn  ranch.  The  well-groomed  appearance  of  the 
landscaped  grounds  with  four  lakes,  surrounded  by  clumps  of 
flowering  shrubbery,  reminded  one  of  Long  Island  Sound  rather 
than  "The  Wild  and  Woolly  West." 

Since  the  ranch  was  sold  in  1930  to  Edward  Moore,  Sr.,  the 
"dude"  ranching  has  been  continued  on  top  of  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains  at  the  Spear-0  Wigwam.  In  1924  Mr.  Spear  had  a 
Council  Lodge  built  as  nearly  like  an  Indian  wigwam  as  possible. 
The  Wigwam  was  built  forty  feet  in  diameter,  eight-sided,  with 
a  cement  floor,  in  the  center  of  which  was  placed  a  large  fire  pit. 
The  roof  was  left  open  at  the  peak  for  the  smoke  to  rise  in  true 
tepee  fashion.  This  building  v.-as  and  continues  to  be  the  center 
of  attraction ;  nightly  the  crowds  gather  around  the  camp  fire, 
singing  and  telling  stories.  The  guests  sleep  to  the  music  of 
rushing  water  in  roomy  cabins  of  peeled  logs  on  the  banks  of  the 
creek.  The  increasing  popularity  of  the  Wigwam  recently  made 
it  necessary  to  increase  the  entertaining  space.  The  completed 
building  is  in  the  form  of  a  Spear-0.  The  shaft  and  head  of 
the  spear  extend  from  the  original  Wigwam,  which  forms  the  0. 

In  1925  ]\Ir.  Spear  formed  a  partnership  with  P.  J.  ^lorgan 
of  Cleveland,  which  was  known  as  the  Spear-]^Iorgan  Livestock 
Company.  They  bought  the  "Doc"  Spear  ranch  on  the  head  of 
Young's  Creek  in  Montana.  In  addition  to  several  thousand 
acres  of  deeded  land,  they  leased  nearly  eighty  thousand  acres 
from  the  Crow  Indians.  This  lease  was  part  of  the  Reservation 
Pool^^  Lease  which  was  divided  up  when  the  Pool  was  disbanded. 

Willis  Spear  Devotes  Time  to  Public  Service 

Besides  his  large  ranching  interests.  ]Mr.  Spear  found  time 
to  take  an  active  part  in  Wyoming  politics.  At  one  time  he 
served  as  County  Commissioner  of  Sheridan  County. 

From  1918  until  the  Democratic  landslide  of  1932.  he  served 
as  a  Senator  in  the  Wyoming  State  Legislature. 

Mrs.  Willis  Spear  Active  in  Community  and  State 

Mrs.  Spear  was  hardly  less  active  than  her  energetic  husband. 
She  served  as  president  of  the  W.  C.  T.  U.,  and  as  a  member  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Sheridan  was  a  member  of  the  choir, 
a  church  trustee  and  treasurer  of  the  building  fund  for  the 
church.     She  was  secretary  of  the  Old  Settlers"  Club  for  fifteen 


15.  In  a  pool  lease  a  lunnber  of  ranchers  will  lease  a  property 
together  for  grazing  purposes  and  turn  their  cattle  out  together  on  the 
range. 


126  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

years.  lu  1911  she  became  a  member  of  the  Sheridan  Chapter 
of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  and  served  as  its 
treasurer,  historian  and  regent.  She  was  elected  State  Registrar 
of  the  organization  in  1918  and  again  in  1920.  In  1922  she  was 
elected  State  Treasurer  and  two  years  later  Vice-Regent,  suc- 
ceeding to  the  office  of  State  Regent  of  the  D.  A.  R.  in  1925, 
which  office  she  held  for  four  years.  She  was  also  a  member  of 
the  Sheridan  Woman's  Club,  the  Book  Review  Club  and  the 
Sheridan  Music  Club. 

During  the  World  War  she  was  captain  of  a  group  in  selling- 
Liberty  Bonds  and  had  charge  of  seven  counties  in  raising  funds 
for  an  ambulance  to  be  sent  from  the  Wyoming  Daughters  to 
France  for  the  use  of  the  soldiers. 

Four  children  were  born  to  Willis  and  Virginia  Spear : 
Sylvia  Jessamine,  Willis  Benton,  Jr.,  Phillip  Torrey,  and  Elsa. 
Willis  and  Phillip  are  prominent  stockmen  and  Elsa  and  Jessa- 
mine are  best  known  for  their  western  pictures. 

Mrs.  Spear  was  a  woman  of  high  ideals,  kind  and  charitable 
in  her  dealings  with  others.  Her  home  was  one  where  hospitality 
reigned  and  the  door  always  had  the  latch  string  on  the  outside. 
She  was  a  warm  and  loyal  friend,  a  true  and  much  loved  Avife 
and  mother. 

Mrs.  Spear  passed  away  in  Sheridan,  November  30,  1930, 
following  a  year 's  illness. 

Closing  Years 

Willis  Spear,  now  alone,  moved  the  old  house,  which  had 
been  built  in  1881  to  the  Young's  Creek  Ranch,  which  was  north 
of  Sheridan  just  over  the  Montana  line,  and  rebuilt  it  into  a  nice 
five  room  home  for  himself.  Here,  with  his  sister,  Mrs.  Emily 
Spear  DeWitt,  to  keep  house  for  him  he  spent  his  last  years. 

And  so  the  story  of  the  youth  Avho  followed  the  path  of  the 
pioneer  westward,  the  young  man  who  rode  herd  on  the  uncharted 
plains,  the  energetic  man  of  middle  age,  the  ruler  of  a  far-flung 
cattle  empire,  the  stalwart  citizen  of  Wyoming,  who  met  life  as 
it  came,  facing  it  unflinchingly,  comes  to  a  close.  The  last 
chapter  of  his  life  ended  October  11,  1936,  when  he  was  struck 
down  by  a  heart  attack. 

TO  WILLIS  M.  SPEAE 

By  Emily  Spear  DeWitt 

Who  Never  Let  the  Song  go  Out  of  His  Life. 
The  streets  were  filled  with  nausic 

And  banners  floated  high 
When  at  the  head  of  the  gay  parade 

A  big  black  horse  passed  by. 


THE  SPEARS  OF  SHERIDAN  COUNTY  127 

On  the  horse  was  an  empty  saddle 

His  master  had  taken  the  trail 
That  leads  to  the  land  of  the  setting  sun 

Where  the  grass  crops  never  fail. 

Old  cowmen  had  an  ache  in  their  throats 

When  the  riderless  horse  passed  by 
And  a  hush  fell  over  the  happy  crowd 

And  tears  filled  many  an  eye. 

The  rack  with  its  empty  saddle — 

Does  it  still  stand  by  the  gate? 
And  his  books  there  in  the  hall 

And  his  chair  by  the  open  grate? 

Do  the  pine  trees  of  old  Wyoming 

Still  listen  for  his  call? 
And  the  canyons  still  echo  his  love  songs 

That  he  sang  for  one  and  all? 

He  would  sing  "Pack  Up  Your  Troubles" 

And  would  bear  down  hard  on  the  "Smile" 

Then  if  there's  a  Lucifer  to  light  your  fag 
Life  was  still  worth  while. 

Fortune — that  fickle  maiden 

Caught  him  in  many  a  gale 
But  he  was  never  too  blue  or  discouraged 

To  sing  "The  Long,  Long  Trail." 

He  has  reached  the  land  of  his  dreams 

And  we  know  the  trails  are  there 
Through  the  mountains  wild  and  canyons  deep 

And  wild  flowers  everywhere. 

He  will  be  missed  by  the  deer  that  ate  out  of  his  hand 

And  the  buffalo  on  the  hills 
That  surround  the  ranch^the  old  Bar  Y 

The  ranch  with  a  thousand  thrills. 

In  all  his  life  on  the  Avestern  plains 

He  never  carried  a  gun 
He  won  all  his  battles  with  kindness 

And  had  love  for  everyone. 

He  was  always  a  gallant  horseman 

And  he  rode  like  a  Knight  of  Old 
And  if  there  is  a  Celestial  Oauipfire 
He  is  there  with  tales  to  be  told. 

All  hail!  to  a  grand  old  hero 

Whose  deeds  will  ever  be  told 
He  was  great  in  life  and  great  in  death 

And  his  heart  was  a  heart  of  gold. 


NIOBRARA  COUNTY  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION 
By  Helen  Willson* 

I  believe  the  idea  of  an  association  for  Niobrara  County 
Pioneers  had  its  inception  in  a  cup  of  tea,  so  to  speak.  On 
July  11,  1936,  while  Lusk  played  hostess  to  rodeo  visitors,  the 
rodeo  having  been  held  to  commemorate  the  fiftieth  anniver- 
sary of  the  town  of  Lusk,  the  daughters  of  early  day  residents 
sponsored  a  tea  and  "get-together"  for  pioneers  of  the  com- 
munity. The  meeting  was  held  at  lovely  Hotel  Ranger.  An 
interesting  program  was  given  and  refreshments  were  serve 
to  well  over  one  hundred  persons.  Never  before  in  the  history 
of  the  county  had  so  large  a  number  of  early  day  residents 
gathered  in  one  assemblage.  One  hundred  and  nine  persons 
signed  the  register  at  this  "Old  Timers'  Round-Up." 

On  Sunday,  February  21,  1937,  the  Lusk  Congregational 
Church  celebrated  its  fiftieth  anniversary.  All  churches  of 
the  community  were  invited  to  take  part  in  this  celebration  and 
about  twelve  hundred  people  attended  the  aU  day  meeting. 
Following  a  sermon  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  a  carry-in 
dinner  was  held  in  the  recreation  room  of  the  church.  The 
afternoon  program  was  held  in  the  auditorium  of  the  church. 
Interspersed  through  the  church  program  were  talks  by  our 
pioneers;  an  original  poem  by  Mrs.  Edith  Hancock  Johnson, 
daughter  of  the  second  minister  of  the  Lusk  Congregational 
Church,  Reverend  J.  J.  Hancock;  excerpts  from,  the  early  day 
files  of  the  Lusk  Herald  were  read  by  Reverend  Hancock's 
granddaughter,  Mrs.  Helen  Willson ;  and  many  early  day  inci- 
dents were  recalled  by  the  pioneers  of  the  audience. 

With  hundreds  of  persons  in  attendance  at  all  services  and 
programs,  the  Lusk  Congregational  Church  observed  its  fifty- 
first  anniversary  on  Sunday,  February  20,  1938.  The  celebration 
was  one  which  brought  together  members  of  the  church,  a 
large  group  of  old  timers  and  many  friends  of  the  church.  The 
following  invitation  had  been  published  in  the  local  papers : 


^BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— A  native  of  Wyoming  and  of  Nio- 
brara County,  Helen  Willson  is  the  daughter  of  Albert  E.  and  Mary  Jane 
McFarlane,  early  Wyoming  pioneers.  She  was  born  in  Lusk  in  1895  and 
has  spent  her  entire  life  in  or  near  there. 

Mrs.  Willson  is  Secretary  of  the  Niobrara  County  Pioneer  Associa- 
tion and  an  active  member  of  Chapter  I,  Wyoming  P.E.O.  Sisterhood, 
being  a  past  president  of  that  organization.  In  1927  she  was  married  to 
Glen  I.  Willson  of  Lusk,  and  is  the  mother  of  two  sons. 


NIOBEARA  COUNTY  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION  129 

Old  Timers,  all,  both  far  and  near 
Meet  with  us  to  recall  memories  dear 

Of  times  that  are  long  since  past  and  gone, 
But  in  our  minds  and  hearts  still  linger  on. 

Meet  Avith  us  on  the  twentieth  of  February 
And  we  promise  you  will  not  grow  weary 

Of  greeting  old  friends,  singing  old  songs, 

And  other  entertainment  provided  until  the  day  is  gone. 

The  following  was  the  program  for  the  day : 

Meeting  opens  with  services  at  11  P.  M. 

Carry-in  Dinner  will  be  served  in  the  Church  Basement 

following  Morning   Service 

Old  Timers'  Program  beginning  at  2:00  P.  M. 

Reminiscences  of  By-Gone  Days. 

Fasjiion  Parade  of  Clothes  of  By-Gone  Days 

Evening 
Three  Act  Biblical  Play 
"Dream  of  Queen  Esther"     "^ 
By  an  All  Adult  Cast. 

The  afternoon  program  was  one  of  entertainme)it  and 
business,  the  latter  being  the  organization  of  a  permanent  Old 
Timers'  Association.  Those  of  the  pioneer  group  voted  the 
selection  of  Reverend  George  D.  Jenkins,  whose  idea  it  was  to 
form  a  permanent  organization,  to  appoint  a  committee  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  the  old  timers,  and  to  formulate 
plans  to  bring  the  group  together  once  or  more  a  year  in  the 
future. 

Reverend  Jenkins  gave  much  of  his  time  and  thought  to- 
ward the  organization  of  the  old  timers.  He  appointed  the 
following  as  a  committee  to  draw  up  a  constitution  and  formu- 
late plans  for  the  organization:  j\Iessrs.  E.  ^I.  Arnold.  Thos. 

0.  JMiller  and  the  JMesdames  J.  W.  Christian,  Ed  Seliroefel  and 
Helen  Willson. 

A  constitution  was,  after  much  deliberation,  finally  drawn 
up  and  plans  were  made  to  hold  a  picnic  at  which  time  the 
organization  would  take  place.     This  picnic  Avas  held  on  July 

01,  1988,  at  the  Albion  Lind  place  on  the  head  of  ('  R  Creek. 
Hundreds  of  people  attended  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
signed  the  register  as  charter  members  of  the  Niobrara  County 
Pioneer  Association,  this  being  tlie  name  aib^iited  for  the 
organization  at  that  time. 

Article  7  of  the  constitution  as  adopted  states  that  ■"Tiiere 
shall  be  two  meetings  held  during  the  year,  a  business  meet- 
ing to  be  held  during  the  winter  months  and  a  picnic  during 
the  summer  months,  the  dates  and  arrangements  to  be  deter- 
mined h\  the  Board  of  Directors." 


130  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Since  the  Congregational  Church  sponsored  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Association,  Reverend  Jenkins  invited  them  to  hold 
each  winter  meeting  in  conjunction  with  the  observance  of  the 
church  anniversary  until  such  time  that  they  had  attained 
sufficient  strength  to  "stand  on  their  own  feet"  and  wished 
to  make  other  arrangements.  This  invitation  they  accepted 
with  thanks. 

The  picnic  meetings  have  been  a  decided  success,  hundreds 
of  persons  attending  each  year.  At  these  meetings  a  picnic 
dinner  is  enjoyed  after  which  a  business  meeting  is  held  and 
the  remainder  of  the  afternoon  devoted  to  a  sports  program. 

Article  9  of  the  constitution  provides  for  the  nomination 
of  officers  at  the  picnic  meeting,  the  election  to  take  place  by 
mail.  The  election  resulting  from  the  nominations  made  at  the 
organization  meeting  resulted  as  follows :  President,  E.  M. 
Arnold ;  Vice-President,  Hans  Gautschi ;  Secretary,  Mrs.  Helen 
Willson ;  Treasurer,  Tom  Miller;  Historian,  Mrs.  Nellie  Griffith. 
(Mrs.  Griffith  resigned  and  Mrs.  Isabel  Willson  was  appointed 
by  the  Executive  Board  to  take  her  place  until  the  following 
election.)  These,  then,  were  the  first  officers  of  the  organization, 
to  serve  from  September  1,  1938,  to  September  1,  1939. 

On  Sunday,  February  19,  1939,  the  Congregational  Church 
was  to  again  observe  their  anniversary,  the  fifty-second,  and 
again  the  Old  Timers,  or  the  Niobrara  County  Pioneer  Associa- 
tion as  we  must  now  call  them,  were  invited  to  combine  their 
meeting  with  that  of  the  church.  The  services  started  on  this 
occasion  with  morning  worship  and  with  one  of  the  early  day 
ministers  in  the  pulpit.  Reverend  D.  J.  Clark,  now  of  Crawford, 
Nebraska,  but  formei:ly  located  north  of  Lusk.  His  sermon 
was  in  keeping  with  the  occasion. 

At  noon  a  carry-in  dinner  was  enjoyed  by  church  members 
and  friends  and  the  pioneers  and  their  families. 

A  program,  the  first  to  be  held  exclusively  by  the  pioneers 
at  a  February  meeting,  was  scheduled  for  two  o'clock  in  the 
auditorium  of  the  church.  The  crowd  was  much  smaller  on 
this  occasion,  approximately  only  seventy-five  persons  being 
present,  due  mainly  to  severe  weather  conditions.  However, 
undaunted,  the  program  was  carried  through  and  a  pleasant 
time  enjoyed.  The  program  which  followed  the  business 
meeting  was  as  follows :  song,  ' '  Wyoming, ' '  audience,  led  by 
Mrs.  Agnes  Taylor;  prayer.  Rev.  D.  J.  Clark;  song,  "America," 
audience ;  talk  on  Lusk  Museum,  Hans  Gautschi ;  address, 
"Early  Days  in  Niobrara  County,"  Rev.  D.  J.  Clark;  vocal  solo, 
"Take  Me  Back  to  My  Boots  and  Saddle,"  Mrs.  Ihla  Ander- 
son accompanied  by  Mrs.  H.  J.  Templeton ;  short  talks  were 
given  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alex  Mashek,  A.  E.  McFarlane,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.    Lawrence   Johnson,    Arthur   Thompson    and    Miss    Amy 


NIOBEAEA  COUNTY  PIONEEE  ASSOCIATION  131 

Christian  on  experiences  of  early  days;  solo,  "Old  Spinning 
Wheel,"  Mrs.  J.  B.  Viers,  accompanied  by  Miss  Marjorie  Hahn; 
old  time  music  by  Archie  Sparks,  violin,  Roy  ^IcLaiii.  piano, 
and  M.  A.  Fosher,  castinets ;  song,  "America  tlie  iJeautit'ul," 
audience.  Other  numbers  had  been  scheduled  but,  due  to 
weather  conditions,  those  to  take  part  were  unable  to  be  present. 

In  Avriting  of  the  1939  picnic  meeting,  held  on  Sunday, 
August  6th,  I  (juote  from  one  of  the  local  papers,  the  Lusk 
Free  Lance:  "Pioneers  of  Niobrara  County  and  surrounding 
areas,  and  a  crowd  of  newer  residents,  numl)ering  approxi- 
mately twelve  hundred,  made  their  way  to  the  picnic  grounds 
at  the  Albion  Lind  ranch  last  Sunday  for  an  outing  far  more 
successful  than  the  aifair  held  a  year  ago.  It  was  the  second 
annual  picnic  of  the  Niobrara  County  Pioneer  Association,  and 
this  year's  attendance  more  than  doubled  that  of  last  year. 
To  say  it  was  a  great  success  is  passing  over  the  occasion  lightly. 

"]\Iuch  time  had  been  devoted  to  staging  this  year's  event, 
and  a  number  of  committees,  headed  by  JMrs.  Helen  Willson. 
functioned  perfectly  in  bringing  about  one  of  the  finest  get- 
together  afit'airs  ever  held  in  the  county.  I\Iore  than  two  hun- 
dred eighty  cars  were  counted  on  the  picnic  grounds  at  one 
time  during  the  celebration. 

"Old  timers — men  and  women  whose  careers  in  Wyoming 
date  back  to  the  days  of  the  Indian  and  Buffalo,  whose  associa- 
tion with  the  early  days  has  helped  to  make  this  one  of  the 
most  historical  spots  in  the  nation — were  there  in  large  num- 
bers. Younger  generations  were  on  hand  to  greet  and  visit 
with  them;  to  enjoy  their  picnic  dinners,  the  beautiful  scenery 
of  the  Lind  ranch ;  to  participate  in  or  witness  the  sports 
events ;  to  taste  the  delicious  barbecued  beef ;  to  hear  the  splen- 
did addresses  and  other  numliers  on  the  program  of  enter- 
tainment. 

"Featured  for  "chuck"  time  was  the  barbecued  beef.  Two 
heifers  had  lieen  donated  for  the  occasion  and  many  coming 
late  had  to  do  without  or  content  themselves  with  but  sample 
portions.  Free  lemonade  and  hot  coffee  were  also  avaihible, 
as  were  many  other  dishes  prepared  by  donors. 

"Russell  Thorp  of  Cheyenne,  who  is  claimed  by  Niobrara 
old  timers  as  one  of  their  own,  gave  a  most  interesting  address 
in  the  afternoon.  His  talk  dwelt  with  the  fine  work  done  by 
the  association  since  its  organization  less  than  two  years  ago, 
and  urged  its  continuance  in  the  future. 

"Mrs.  E.  B.  Willson.  historian  of  the  association,  gave  an 
exceptionally  fine  report  of  the  life  of  the  association,  and 
interwove  her  report  with  some  of  the  incidents  of  early  days. 

"A  lively  sports  program  was  also  a  feature  of  the  after- 
noon and  the  several  events  were  participated  in  by  large  num- 


132  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

bers  of  contestants.  Many  prizes  were  given  the  winners,  these 
being  donated  by  the  business  houses  of  the  city. 

"In  the  entertainment  division,  Frank  Fero's  'Schniekle- 
fritz'  baud  and  George  Gibson's  'Early  Day  Dandies/  quartet, 
created  much  amusement.  Costumes  appropriate  to  the  days 
of  long  ago  were  worn  by  the  band  members  and  songsters ( ?). 
The  band  was  accorded  many  compliments,  both  for  costumes 
and  for  the  music  so  ably  rendered. ' ' 

The  business  meeting  was  held  at  the  close  of  the  program 
and  the  nominations  made  at  this  time  resulted  in  the  election 
of  the  following  officer's  for  the  term  September  1,  1939,  to 
September  1,  1940 :  President,  A.  A.  Spaugh ;  Vice-President, 
Frank  DeCastro ;  Secretary,  Mrs.  Helen  Willson ;  Treasurer, 
J.  P.  "Pat"  Costlow;  Historian,  Mrs.  Isabel  Willson. 

Adding  to  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  was  the  presence  of 
Rev.  and  Mrs.  George  Jenkins  and  children.  Rev.  Jenkins, 
former  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  here,  and  who  at 
that  time  held  a  pastorate  in  Chamberlain,  South  Dakota,  was, 
as  above  stated,  instrumental  to  a  large  degree  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  association.  Their  many  friends  were  glad  of  the 
opportunity  to  greet  them  again. 

Sunday,  February  18,  1940,  saw  another  joint  meeting  of 
the  Church  and  the  Pioneers  on  the  celebration  of  the  Church 's 
fifty-third  anniversary.  On  this  occasion  also,  Rev.  D.  J.  Clark 
was  guest  minister  for  the  morning  worship  hour.  Following 
the  morning  worship  services,  a  carry -in  dinner  was  enjoyed 
in  the  recreation  room  and  the  afternoon  tilled  with  a  short 
business  meeting  and  a  program  of  entertainment. 

The  program  opened  with  the  singing  of  "America"  by 
the  audience  and  led  by  Mrs.  Agnes  Taylor ;  Mrs.  Oda  Burkett, 
a  resident  of  Manville  for  fifty-two  years  was  introduced  ;  song, 
"Wyoming"  by  the  audience;  a  pep  talk  by  Thomas  Miller  in 
the  absence  of  Russell  Thorp;  an  account  of  Indians'  last  fight 
in  Niobrara  County  read  by  Lee  Stoddard  of  Manville,  from 
an  old  newspaper,  the  Denver  Daily  News,  dated  October  31, 
1903.  A  skit  portraying  a  mother's  dreams  was  acted  by  Mrs. 
Frank  DeCastro,  the  dreams  being  portrayed  with  the  follow- 
ing songs,  the  singers  encostume :  "Little  Old  Lady,"  by  Mrs. 
Joe  Danaher;  "Jeanie  With  Her  Light  Brown  Hair"  by 
Yvonne  Vogel ;  "When  You  and  I  Were  Young  Maggie"  by 
Donald  Murphy  and  Patricia  Taylor ;  ' '  Sylvia ' '  by  Miss  Mar- 
gery Hahn  ;  "Annie  Laurie"  by  Patti  Deuel;  and  "Memories" 
by  Mrs.  Joe  Danaher.  Mrs.  Minnie  Beard  gave  the  following 
recitations:  "To  the  Fellow  Who  Takes  My  Place,"  "If  We 
Didn't  Have  to  Work"  and  "Ready  In  a  Minute."  Rev.  D.  J. 
Clark  related  some  of  his  early  day  experiences  in  the  county; 
piano  accordian  solos  were  given  by  Leonard  Larson,  "Beau- 


NIOBRARA  COUNTY  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION  133 

tiful  Dreamer"  and  "Love's  Old  Sweet  8ong;'"  Miss  Eva 
Lou  Bonsell  gave  the  recitation,  "Our  Minister's  Sermon;" 
the  program  closed  with  "God  Be  With  You  'Till  We  Meet 
Again"  b.y  the  audience. 

Li  telling  you  of  the  July  14,  1940,  picnic  meeting,  I  again 
quote  from  one  of  the  local  papers,  the  Lusk  Herald:  "In  the 
neighborhood  of  a  thousand  people,  old  and  young  alike,  gath- 
ered at  the  77  Ranch  last  Sunday,  July  14th,  for  the  annual 
summer  picnic  and  program  sponsored  by  the  Niobrara  County 
Pioneer  Association. 

"Early  in  the  morning  cars  began  making  their  way  to 
the  picnic  grounds  along  the  creek  south  of  Vega  Butte,  south 
of  the  Manville-Lance  Creek  Highway,  and  bountiful  picnic 
dinners  spread  with  old  friends  joining  in  the  repast  in  many 
instances. 

"Immediately  following  the  dinner  hour  the  program 
under  the  direction  of  the  committee  members  entertained  the 
crowd,  with  John  Charles  Thompson,  editor  of  the  Cheyenne 
Tribune  and  a  man  long  interested  in  early  Wyoming  history, 
giving  a  splendid  talk  on  the  history  of  the  state  in  commemo- 
ration of  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  Statehood. 

"While  the  public  will  generally  agree  that  the  1940  picnic 
was  a  tine  success  in  every  way,  it  has  been  suggested  by 
many  that  a  permanent  picnic  ground  be  designated  and  one 
which  might  be  improved  from  year  to  year  as  the  event  grows. 

"The  program  of  the  afternoon  follows:  speech  of  wel- 
come, A.  A.  Spaugh,  President  of  N.C.P.A. ;  song,  "America," 
by  the  crowd;  "Somewhere  in  Old  Wyoming"  by  the  crowd; 
"There's  a  Home  in  Wyoming"  by  string  trio  composed  of 
Lee  Penn,  Jake  Irons  and  Fred  Bryant ;  introduction  of 
speaker,  John  Charles  Thompson,  by  Hans  Gautschi ;  "Wyo- 
ming History  from  Pre-Historic  Times  Up  to  the  Present"  by 
John  Charles  Thompson;  "God  Bless  America"  by  the  crowd. 
All  community  singing  was  led  by  Mrs.  Louise  Rasmussen  and 
George  Gibson,  and  was  accompanied  by  the  string  trio." 

Immediately  following  the  program  a  business  meeting 
was  held  at  which  time  nominations  were  made  for  otticers  for 
the  coming  year.  Officers  elected  from  these  nominations  to 
serve  for  the  year  September  1,  1940,  to  September  1,  1941, 
w^ere  as  follows:  President,  Frank  DeCastro :  Vice-President, 
J.  P.  "Pat"  Costlow;  Secretary,  Mrs.  Helen  Willson;  Treas- 
urer, Wm.  Mill;  Historian,  Mrs.  Adele  Black  Smith. 

The  remainder  of  the  afternoon  was  taken  up  witli  a  splen- 
did sports  program,  the  prizes  for  the  various  events  having 
been  donated  by  the  Lusk  business  houses. 

The  February  23,  1941,  meeting  of  the  Niobrara  County 
Pioneer    Association    was    held    at    the    Lusk    Congregational 


134  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Church,  but  not  in  conjunction  with  their  anniversary  meet- 
ing as  heretofore.  Again  inclement  weather  held  down  the 
attendance,  but  those  of  "pioneer  spirit"  who  braved  the 
weather  conditions  and  were  present,  enjoyed  the  "round-up" 
day.  Rev.  Millard  H.  Marshall,  pastor  of  the  church,  delivered 
the  morning  sermon,  the  topic  of  which  was  "The  Continuing 
Spirit  of  the  Pioneers."  Rev.  D.  J.  Clark  was  present  as  guest 
minister  and  gave  the  pastoral  prayer.  Mesdames  Mark  Berk- 
himer,  H.  J.  Templeton  and  Joe  Danaher  sang  a  special  trio 
number. 

The  carry-in  dinner  always  seems  to  "break  the  ice"  and 
the  crowd  in  no  time  has  gathered  in  twos  or  groups  and  "I 
can  remember  the  time  when ' '  is  heard  all  along  the  tables. 

At  1:30  o'clock  all  repaired  to  the  church  auditorium 
where  a  business  meeting  and  program  was  held.  The  follow- 
ing was  the  program  for  the  afternoon :  songs  by  the  audience 
led  by  Mrs.  Agnes  Taylor;  song,  "Sweet  Genevieve,"  by  the 
Lusk  High  School  Boys'  Octette;  introduction  of  visitors  by 
Thos.  0.  Miller,  at  which  time  the  folloAving  pioneers  re- 
sponded w^ith  the  relation  of  an  incident  of  the  past  or  just  an 
acknowledgment :  Frank  DeCastro,  Lusk ;  A.  A.  Spaugh,  Man- 
ville;  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Gray,  Lusk;  A.  E.  McFarlane,  Lusk;  Ira 
Wilson,  Lance  Creek ;  Joe  Leeling,  Manville ;  Mrs.  Grace 
Mashek,  Lusk ;  Mrs.  Emma  Thrasher,  Keeline ;  Mrs.  Annie 
DeCastro,  Lusk ;  Mrs.  Kate  Rice,  Lusk ;  and  Mrs.  Mae  Fields, 
Lusk.  Mrs.  Anna  Townsend,  a  pioneer  of  South  Dakota,  was 
also  presented.  The  program  continued  with  "Songs  My 
Mother  Enjoyed"  by  the  Lusk  High  School  Girls'  Octette; 
reading,  "The  Pioneer,  George  Wash,"  by  Mrs.  Mark  Berk- 
himer;  vocal  solo,  "Asleep  In  the  Deep,"  by  Donald  Murphy; 
comet  solo  by  Mr.  Beers ;  ' '  God  Be  With  You  'Till  We  Meet 
Again"  by  the  audience;  and  benediction  by  Rev.  Marshall. 

The  picnic  meeting  of  Sunday,  July  27,  1941,  although 
not  attended  by  as  many  as  in  previous  years,  due,  it  is 
thought,  to  so  many  other  activities  taking  place  in  the  sur- 
rounding community  on  the  same  day,  was  an  enjoyable  and 
successful  affair,  and  again  brought  many  of  the  pioneers  to- 
gether. Through  the  kindness  and  cooperation  of  Wm.  Rice, 
superintendent  of  the  Continental  Oil  Company  in  the  Lance 
Creek  field,  ideal  picnic  grounds  were  provided.  The  com- 
pany's picnic  grounds  were  an  ideal  spot,  with  plenty  of 
water,  shade,  seats  and  all  necessary  facilities  to  give  comfort 
and  pleasure  to  those  on  such  an  outing.  The  picnic  dinner 
started  off  the  activities  of  the  day,  the  picnickers  bringing 
their  own  lunches,  while  coffee  and  lemonade  were  furnished 
by  the  Association.  When  the  meal  was  finished,  the  crowd 
joined    in    singing    "America,"    "God    Bless    America"    and 


NIOBRAEA  COUNTY  PIONEEE  ASSOCIATION 


135 


"Home  On  the  Range,"  with  George  Gibson  as  song  leader, 
singing  through  the  amplifier  provided  by  the  Green  Electric 
Company.  The  business  meeting  was  then  held  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  afternoon  given  over  to  the  regular  sports  pro- 
gram. 

The  officers  elected  from  the  nominations  made  at  this 
meeting  were  those  now  holding  office,  their  terms  being  from 
September  1,  1941,  to  September  1,  1942:  President,  H.  B. 
Card;  Vice-President,  Les  McCarthy;  Secretary,  Mrs.  Helen 
Willson ;  Treasurer,  J.  P.  "Pat"  Costlow ;  Historian,  Mrs. 
Carl  Baughn. 

The  organization  is  yet  young  and  so  perhaps  has  not  yet 
accomplished  much  other  than  to  give  a  bit  of  happiness  to 
those  pioneer  relatives  and  friends  who  are  still  left  to  us. 
This  alone,  we  feel,  has  made  every  effort  worth  while.  We 
have,  however,  donated  to  the  erection  of  the  "Texas  Trail" 
marker  erected  a  few  miles  east  of  Lusk,  on  HigliAvay  20,  and 
have  tabled  a  discussion  as  to  the  erection  of  a  monument  at 
the  grave  of  a  pioneer  child  buried  near  Hat  Creek,  and  a 
monument  dedicated  to  Niobrara  County  Pioneers.  These 
matters  will  be  decided  upon  at  our  next  regular  meeting  in 
February. 

As  time  goes  by,  we  hope  to  do  something  definitely  worth- 
while in  the  perpetuating  of  historic  interests  of  Niobrara 
County  and  Wvoming. 


MEMBERSHIP  OP  NIOBRARA  COUNTY  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION 
Copied  from  Records — March  9,  1942 


Arnold,  Edward  M. 

Agiiew,  John  W. 

Alter,  Bunt 

Alter,  John 

Alter,  Lucy 

Anderson,  Ihla  Johnson 

Anderson,  Andrew  J. 

Baughn,  Lugena  (Deed.) 
Baughn,  Ray  J. 
Baughn,  Carl 
Baughn,  Jessie 
Blagg,  Vernice  R. 
Bonsell,  Will 
Bradley,  Russell 
Boner,  Jess 
Brooks,  Prank 
Brooks,  George  E. 
Bruegger,  Pred 
Bryant,  Pred 
BoVd,  S.  W. 
Boyd,  Bertha  Mill 
Bovd,  Pred  A. 


Boyd,  Lula 
Bump,  Marv 
Bump,  R.  O". 
Burkett,  Ida 
Brown,  Matt  D. 

Coleman,  Helen 
Costlow,  Anna 
Costlow,  J.  P. 
Cook,  Edmond  M. 
Card.  HarrvB. 
Card,  Edith  M. 
Christian,  Amy  E. 
Christian,  A.  L. 
Christian,  Jim 
Christian,  Nell 
Christian,  J.  H. 
Christian.  Ray 
Chamberlin,  Mrs.  A.  D. 
Chambers,  Prank  W. 

r>ryer,  Orval 
Drver,  E.  A. 


136 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


Dryer,  Bertha 
DeGering,  A.  E. 
Dean,  Fred 

Dean,  Mrs.  Ella  (Deed.) 
DeCastro,  Annie 
DeCastro,  Frank  W. 
Davis,  George 
Deuel,  Floyd 
Dern,  Clint 
Deetjen,  Henry 
Deetjen,  Mrs.  Harry 

Eutsler,  Leo  R. 
Eutsler,  Hazel  H. 
Eddy,  L.  W. 
Eddy,  Winifred 

•Fields,  Dudley 
Fields,  Mae  Falconer 
Fernau,  Harry 
Fernau,  Mrs.  Christina 
Fosher,  Harold  A. 

Guibault,  A.  E. 
Grimes,  Arthur 
Grant,  George  H.  (Deed.) 
Gibson,  Ethel  Arnold 
Griffith,  Nellie  S. 
Gautschi,  Hans 
Gautschi,  Jennie  M. 
Gray,  Anna  C. 
Gagstetter,  R.  B. 
Gamble,  Mrs.  Alice 

Hill,  Mrs.  Norma 
Hanson,  Henrick 
Hanson,  Chas.  N. 
Hanson,  Dan 
Hanson,  Anthon 
Hanson,  Gertrude 
Hanson,  Mrs.  Catherine 
Hanson,  Sadie 
Hamblin,  Orian  Mayes 
Hartwell,  N.  E. 
Hammond,  George 
Hogg,  W.  G.  (Deed.) 

Intveen,  Wm. 
Intveen,  Amanda 

Johnson,  Mrs.  Lawrence 
Johnson,  Lawrence 
Jassman,  John 
Jassman,  Emilia 
Jassman,  Chris 
Jensen,  Anna 
Joss,  Chris 


Jordan,  Dan 

Jack,  Wm.  "Scotty" 

Koontz,  Edna  Willson 

Lind,  Albion  L. 
Lorenzen,  Clara 
Lorenzen,  John  B. 
Lorenzen,  Beulah 
Larson,  Conrad 
Leeling,  Joe 

Mill,  W.  J. 
Mashek,  Mrs.  Grace 
Mashek,  Alexander  (Deed.) 
Mashek,  Arthur 
Mayes,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Miller,  Thomas  0. 
Miller,  Wm.  D. 
Milburn,  Will 
Martin,  George 
Marigard,  Nels  L. 
Manorgan,  Lizzie 
Manorgan,  Arthur 

McFarlane,  A.  E. 
McCarthy,  Carrie 
McCarthy,  Leslie 
McLain,  Roy 
McCabe,  Mrs.  Catherine 
McMasters,  Mrs.  A.  N. 

Norris,  Ida  E. 

Nelson,  Mrs.  Cora  Hahn 

dinger,  Maggie  Pfister 
Ord,  May  me  Agnew 
Owens,  A.  L. 
O  'Shea,  John 

Pfister,  John  (Deed.) 
Pfister,  Edwin 
Pereival,  Garth 
Percival,  Edna 
Pf  eif  er,  C.  W. 
Payne,  Edna 
Paisley,  Hattie 
Porter,  Rolla 

Quinn,  Mrs.  Frances 

Root,  A.  H. 
Root,  Fred  K. 
Rogers,  Foster  R. 
Roberts,  Mary  L.  Storrie 
Reinecke,  Pearl 
Rider,  Frank 


NIOBRAEA  COUNTY  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION 


137 


Reynolds,  Lewis 
Reynolds,  Estella  L. 
Roberts,  J.  E. 
Ruffing,  Christ 
Rice,  Clair  S. 

Spaugli,  A.  A. 
Stoddard,  Fama 
Strube,  Christina 
Strube,  Helen 
Schroef  el,  E.  H. 
Schroef  el,  Esther 
Sides,  Mrs.  Stewart 
Sides,  Stewart 
Sides,  Clarence 
Sullivan,  Ered  (Deed.) 
Storrie,  Walter 
Senters,  Effie  Lorenzen 
Schmidt,  John  C. 
Starks,  Mary  Schmidt 
Smyth,  W.  H. 
Sparks,  A.  L. 
Scace,  Charlie 
Smith,  Adele  Black 
Smith,  D.  N. 

Taylor,  Ethel 


Taylor,  Robert 
Thon,  A.  A.  (Deed.) 
Thorp,  Russell 
Townsend,  Myron  L. 
Townsend,  Laura  L. 
Thompson,  Lewis 
Thompson,  Arthur 
Turnbull,  Mrs.  Anna 

Willson,  Grace  (Mrs.  D.  E.) 
Willson,  Isabel  M. 
Willson,  Fred  B. 
Willson,  Glen  I. 
Willson^  Eugene  P. 
Willson,  Helen  McFarlane 
Willson,  Annie  E. 
Whipple,  Ray 
Whelan,  C.A. 
Whelan,  Clara  P. 
Wolfe,  Alice  C. 
Wolfe,  Robert  E. 
Wilson,  Ira 
Wilson,  Mrs.  lona 

Zum  Brunnen,  Roy  L. 
Zum  Brunnen,  Bama  T. 


HOW,  WHEN  AND  WHY  THE  OLD  BEARTOOTH 
STOCKADE? 

By  J.  K.  Rollinson* 

In  tho  northwest  corner  of  Park  County,  just  a  few  miles 
east  of  Yellowstone  National  Park  and  approximately  ten 
miles  south  of  the  Montana-Wj^oming  boundary  line,  is  the 
very  high  country  known  as  the  Beartooth  Plateau.  Until 
the  new  Red  Lodge-Cooke  City  Highway  was  built  some  seven 
years  ago,  this  was  a  little  known  country,  traveled  only  by  a 
few  people.  Here  on  this  lofty  plateau  amidst  the  land  of 
glaciers  and  almost  nine  months  of  snow  at  an  altitude  of 
about  nine  thousand  feet  are  the  remains  of  an  oJd  stockade. 
The  name  stockade  has  been  given  to  the  ruin  because  of  its 
general  appearance,  it  having  circular  walls  of  heavy  logs 
with  evidences  of  holes  cut  into  them  to  serve  as  rifle  ports 
or  firing  holes  from  which  persons  inside  the  fort-like  stockade 
could  command  a  view  for  some  distance  outside  the  enclosure 
and  through  which  they  could  fire  a  rifle. 

The  stockade  is  near  a  lake  which  was  known  as  Leg  Lake,^ 
about  two  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Deep  Lake.  However, 
the  many  lakes  on  this  plateau  were  not  named  at  the  begin- 
ning of  this  century,  and  what  names  might  have  been  given 
at  that  time  have  no  doubt  been  changed  by  now.  This  small 
lake  and  the  stockade  were  close  to  the  head  of  both  Little 
Rock  and  Bennett  Creeks,  which  empty  into  the  Clarks  Fork 
of  the  Yellowstone  after  that  river  leaves  its  almost  box-like 
canyon.  It  was  on  these  two  creeks  that  Colonel  Nelson  A. 
Miles '2  battle  with  the  Bannock  Indians  occurred  on  Septem- 
ber 4,  1878,  and  in  which  battle  Captain  Andrew  S.  Bennett^ 
and  a  friendly  Crow  Indian  named  Little  Rock  were  killed.^ 
Thus  the  names  of  the  two  streams. 

A  few  Cooke  City  miners,  mountain  men  and  trappers  oc- 
casionally made  their  ways  across  the  Beartooth  Plateau,  but 
no  trail  was  officially  laid  out  until,  two  military  expeditions 
having  failed  to  find  their  ways  across  this  high  and  wild  moun- 
tainous  country,    in   the   month    of   August,    1882,    Lieutenant 


*BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— John  K.  Eollinson  was  an  early  pio- 
neer settler  of  Sunlight  Basin  in  Park  County,  Wyoming.  From  1906  to 
1913  he  was  a  United  States  ranger  in  charge  of  the  Sunlight-Clarks 
Fork  district.  For  further  biographical  data  see  ANNALS  OF  WYO- 
MING, July,   1940,  pp.   221-222. 

1.  Leg  Lake  is  now  known  as  Stockade  Lake. 

2.  Of  the  Fifth  Infantry,  U.S.A. 
.3.     Ibid. 

4.     Eleven  Bannock  Indians  were  also  killed  in  this  battle. — Author. 


HOW,  WHEN  AND  WHY  THE  BEAETOOTH  STOCKADE       139 

General  P.  H.  Sheridan  with  his  party  of  seventy-one  officers, 
soldiers,  gnides,  and  civilians,  with  thirty-six  packers,  five 
Shoshone  Indians  and  one  squaw  left  Fort  Yellowstone^  for 
Cooke  City,  Montana,  which  boom  town  they  reached  on 
August  24th.  Leaving  Cooke.  City,  they  spent  seven  days  of 
arduous  travel  over  this  unexplored  country  before  reaching 
the  mouth  of  the  Clarks  Fork  and  Billings  on  August  31,  1882. 

Afterwards  this  trail,  blazed  by  General  Sheridan,  who 
marked  trees  when  in  timber  and  who  piled  up  rock  trail  signs 
when  there  were  no  other  means  of  trail  marking,  became 
known  as  "The  Sheridan  Trail"  and  was  so  marked  on  old 
maps  of  those  years.  General  Sheridan  and  his  party  passed 
within  three  and  one-half  miles  of  the  old  stockade  without 
having  discovered  it.  The  new  Cooke  City-Red  Lodge  High- 
way, now  designated  as  Highway  22,  follows  quite  closely  the 
old  trail  as  established  by  General  Sheridan. 

It  was  not  until  1891  that  a  cowboy,  Benjamin  Greenough^ 
of  Red  Lodge,  Montana,  better  known  to  his  associates  as 
"Pack  Saddle  Ben,"  by  chance  discovered  the  stockade.  It 
was  old  and  in  a  state  of  decay  .even  at  that  early  date. 

The  logs  had  been  cut  for  the  most  part  with  a  small  bitted 
ax  or  tomahawk  and  in  all  probability  the  work  was  done  by 
squaws.  There  were,  however,  some  indications  of  a  standard 
bitted  ax  having  been  used,  for  the  cut  was  clean  and  evidently 
the  tree  fell  where  it  was  intended  to  fall,  Avhereas  the  trees 
cut  by  the  squaws,  or  whoever  used  the  hatchets  or  tomahawk, 
were  hacked  off  as  a  beaver  cuts,  from  all  sides.  There  was 
evidence  of  stone  fireplaces  along  one  wall  and  of  pole  shelters 
which  had  probably  been  covered  with  bark  or  hides.  No  one 
appears  to  know  the  purpose  of  the  stockade  or  when  it  was 
built. 

My  first  visit  to  this  interesting  place  was  in  the  summer 
of  1907  when  as  a  forest  ranger  I  followed  directions  given 
rae  by  my  friend  Ben  Greenough.  I  was  accompanied  on  this 
trip  by  Harry  W.  Thur.ston,'^  then  Supervisor  of  the  Shoshone 
National  Forest,  the  headquarters  of  which  are  now  at  Cody, 
Wyoming. 

We  made  quite  a  search  about  the  old  ruin  and  found  that 
many  of  the  heavy  lodgepole  pine  logs  had  been  dragged  quite 
a  distance,  so  it  was  probable  that  whoever  constructed  the 

5.  Fort  Yellowstone,  Wyoming,  was  Camp  Shei'idan  until  changed 
by  General  Orders  No.  45  from  the  Adjutant  General's  Office  on  May  11, 
ISOl.  The  fort  was  located  on  Beaver  Creek,  eight  miles  from  Cinnabar, 
Montana,  with  the  post  office  and  telegraph  station  at  Mammoth  Hot 
Springs,  Yellowstone  Park,  W^yoniing. — 2921,  H.  E.Doc.  1,  part  5,  pp. 
173;  550. 

6.  Mr.  Greenough  at  this  time  is  still  living  in  Red  Lodge. 

7.  Mr.  Thurston  is  at  present  living  near  Wapiti,  Wyoming. 


140  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

stockade  had  ponies  at  the  time.  Much  charcoal  or  burned 
wood  indicated  quite  a  long  stay  at  this  retreat  as  did  the  re- 
mains of  many  bones  of  game  animals.  It  seemed  to  us  that 
parts  of  the  building,  in  which  were  not  used  the  very  heaviest 
of  the  logs,  were  built  with  a  double  wall  of  lighter  logs  with 
rocks  used  as  a  filler  between  the  two  walls,  there  being  a 
space  of  four  or  five  inches  between  them. 

It  was  our  belief  that  a  party  of  white  trappers  accom- 
panied by  Indian  Avomen  were  trapping  that  plateau,  which 
was  a  good  trapping  ground  except  that  beaver  were  absent, 
and  that  they  feared  an  attack  from  some  hostile  Indians. 
After  building  their  stockade  they  might  have  sent  their  horses 
down  to  the  lower  country,  perhaps  to  winter  with  the  more 
friendly  Crow  tribe.  At  any  rate  the  stockade  was  well  placed 
for  defensive  purposes,  as  a  spring  of  water  was  very  close 
and  old  snow  banks  lasted  in  that  altitude  almost  through  the 
entire  summer  when  the  snowfall  was  normal. 

To  judge  from  the  weathering  of  the  cut  stumps  and  what 
remaining  logs  we  saw,  I  figured  that  the  stockade  would  date 
back  to  perhaps  1860  or  earlier,  which  would  place  its  con- 
struction ahead  of  the  building  of  the  Bozeman  Trail,  v/hen 
only  a  few  white  trappers  were  in  what  is  now  Wyoming  and 
they  were  mostly  in  sheltered  valleys.  Perhaps  some  day  his- 
tory will  unearth  this  present  mystery  of  the  how,  when  and 
why  of  the  old  stockade. 


DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT— 

During  the  Spanish  American  War,  Wyoming  was  the  first 
state  to  respond  to  the  call  for  volunteers  for  active  service  with 
United  States  troops  with  a  full  quota  ?  Wyoming 's  apportion- 
ment was  two  hundred  thirty-one  men,  but  three  times  this 
number  volunteered  during  the  course  of  the  war.  (Beard, 
Wyoming  from  Territorial  Days  to  the  Present,  pp.  520-1.) 

Laramie  County  was  created  on  January  9,  1867,  by  the 
Dakota  Legislature  ?  This  was  the  first  organized  county  in  what 
is  now  Wyoming.  Carter  County,  later  changed  to  Sweetwater 
County,  was  created  December  27,  1867,  by  the  Dakota  Legisla- 
ture.    (Beard,  p.  186;  189.) 

A  Portuguese  trader,  Antonio  Mateo,  erected  the  first  trad- 
ing post  in  Wyoming  near  the  iunetion  of  the  north  and  south 
forks  of  the  Powder  River?  Historians  do  not  know  when  the 
old  houses  were  built.  They  were  discovered  bv  Jim  Bridger 
and  Captain  W.  F.  Raynolds  in  1859.  (Bartlett,  History  'of 
Wyoming,  p.  107.) 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT, 

PIONEER  HISTORIAN,  AND  HERTOFORE 

UNPUBLISHED 

Chapter  XXII 
Laramie  County 

Cheyenne  Continued — City  Charter  Changed — Exciting  Election  Held  in 
1878 — Only  Those  Paying  Poll  Tax  Could  Vote — Results  of  Lawsuit 
Leave  City  Without  G-overnment  for  a  Week. 

A  further  reference  to  events  which  occurred  in  1877  must 
be  made,  and  the  consideration  of  them  will  take  us  along 
until  after  the  municipal  election  in  January,  1878.  They  are 
important  events  in  the  history  of  the  city,  however,  and  must 
not  be  omitted. 

The  city  had  been  jogging  along  (figuratively  speaking) 
ever  since  1867  under  various  different  charters,  and  for  a 
time  without  any  charter  at  all,  and  the  people  of  the  city  had 
begun  to  think  that  the  city  ought  to  obtain  an  enlargement 
of  its  municipal  powers,  and  there  "were  other  reasons"  why 
a  change  was  demanded.  Dwight  Fisk  was  then  mayor,  and 
he  had  some  ideas  regarding  "iuternal  improvements"  which 
did  not  please  everybody,  and  yet,  later  on,  the  city  through 
its  constituted  authorities,  and  with  the  consent  of  all  classes, 
adopted  these  same  ideas,  and  gave  practical  effect  to  them. 
(A  partial  system  of  water  works  for  the  city  had  been  put  in 
for  which  there  seemed  to  be  no  authority  under  the  old  ehar- 
t^er,  and  during  the  summer  of  1877,  $5,000.00  or  more  was 
expended  in  the  grading  of  streets — some  concluding  that 
this  was  all  right,  and  others  that  it  was  all  wrong. 

For  these  various  reasons,  the  controlling  one,  however, 
being  of  the  belief  that  the  city  had  outgrown  the  old  charter 
and  ought  to  have  a  new  one  with  more  extreme  powers,  a 
meeting  was  called  and  held  in  the  city  hall  early  in  October, 
1877,  at  which  a  committee,  afterwards  known  as  "The  Com- 
mittee of  Fifteen,"  was  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  consider- 
ing the  question,  and  if  deemed  advisable  to  draft  a  bill  for 
a  new  charter  to  be  presented  for  legislative  action  at  the  ses- 
sion of  the  legislature  soon  to  convene. 

This  committee  of  which  Judge  J.  M.  Carey  was  made 
chairman,  and  E.  P.  Johnson,  Esq.,  held  several  meetings 
thereafter,  and  finally  decided  to  apply  to  the  legislature  for 
a  new  charter.  Mr.  Johnson  and  others  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  prepare  a  bill  which  it  did  in  due  time,  and  proved 
acceptable  to  the  balance  of  the  committee.  It  is  not  the  pur- 
pose here  to  give  a  detailed  history  of  this  bill,  but  it  is  suffi- 


142  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

cieiit  to  say  that  it  was  presented  and  introduced  in  the  legis- 
lature, and  in  due  time  became  a  law,  but  without  in  express 
terms  repealing  the  old  one.  This  difficulty,  however,  was  dis- 
covered and  avoided  by  the  introduction  and  passage  of  a 
separate  bill  on  the  last  day  of  the  session  repealing  in  express 
terms  the  old  charter. 

The  new  charter  provided  that  for  the  purposes  of  the 
first  election  an  ordinance  should  be  enacted  by  the  outgoing 
board  of  trustees  governing  the  manner,  etc.,  of  holding  the 
same.  This  was  done,  and  the  city,  in  pursuance  of  the  new 
charter,  was  divided  into  three  wards.  The  first  ward  was  to 
consist  of  all  that  portion  of  the  city  lying  south  of  Sixteenth 
Street ;  the  second,  that  portion  lying  north  of  Sixteenth  and 
east  of  Ferguson  Street;  while  the  third  ward  constituted  the 
remainder  of  the  city,  i.e.,  all  north  of  Sixteenth  and  west  of 
Ferguson  Street.  Under  this  special  ordinance  the  election 
was  to  be  held. 

1878.  Excitement  ran  high.  There  were  two  factions 
(political  lines  not  being  observed)  and  each  had  unpleasant 
things  to  say  of  the  other  among  which  was  that  one  party 
already  had,  and  the  other  wanted,  to  organize  a  "Tweed 
Ring."  A  citizens  convention  was  called,  and  nominated  L.  R. 
Bresnahen  as  its  candidate,  while  on  the  other  hand  the  work- 
ingmen's  party  nominated  Dwight  Fisk  for  mayor.  The  new 
charter  provided  that  the  councilmen  should  be  elected  in  each 
ward,  and  each  side  nominated  councilmen  tickets. 

On  the  day  of  the  election  the  excitement  ran  very  high 
indeed,  and  a  large  vote  was  polled,  but  not  so  large  as  it  would 
have  been  had  it  not  been  provided  in  the  new  charter  that 
every  party  voting  must  have  paid  a  poll  tax  for  the  preceding 
year.     The  election  resulted  in  the  choice  of  L.  R.  Bresnahen 

for  mayor,  the  vote  of  the  city  being  Bresnahen, ,  Fisk, , 

majority  for  Bresnahen. 

The  election  for  councilmen  resulted  in  the  choice  of  some 
from  each  party,  the  citizens  ticket  men,  however,  being  in  the 
majority.  Thus  it  was  that  a  victory  was  claimed  for  "progres- 
sive and  good  government. ' ' 

The  members  of  the  city  council  elected  were^ 

We  must  now  go  back  a  few  days  prior  to  the  election. 
The  old  board  of  trustees  consisted  of  Dwight  Fisk,  mayor, 
and  Messrs.  W.  P.  Davis,  George  Leighton,  Andrew  Ryan,  and 
August  Gueck.  W.  P.  Davis,  the  vice-president  of  the  board 
was  then  superintendent  of  the  mountain  division  of  the  Union 


8.  Here  in  the  manuscript  was  space  and  skeleton  paragraph  for 
inserting  results  of  the  election,  but  was  never  completed  by  the  author. 
—Ed. 


HISTORY  OF  WY0:\I1XG.  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       143 

Pacific,  and  as  such,  of  course,  had  considerable  regard  for  the 
interests  of  the  railroad  company  which  he  represented,  and 
such  being  the  case  he  had  therefore  called  the  attention  of 
the  board  to  the  fact  that  a  portion  of  the  land  lying  within 
the  city  limits,  and  south  of  the  railroad  track,  was  something 
which  the  company  greatly  desired,  and  broached  the  subject 
of  a  purchase  from  the  city  by  the  comj^any.  He  also  took 
the  ground  that  the  land  still  belonged  to  the  Union  Pacific. 
The  land  in  question  was  far  less  valuable  at  that  time  than  at 
present,  and  all  things  considered,  the  board — Mr.  Ryan  finally 
decided  to  sell  it  to  the  company  for  a  consideration  of  $500. 
W.  P.  Carroll  was  then  city  attorney,  but  he  was  not  consulted 
in  the  matter  further  than  that  the  question  as  to  whether  the 
city  could  sell  this  land  unless  at  auction — or  in  other  words, 
at  private  sale — was  submitted  to  him  by  Mr.  Davis. 

That  gentleman  was  informed  that  under  the  old  charter 
this  could  not  be  done,  and  that  the  new  charter,  while  less  ex- 
plicit, was  to  the  same  effect.  AYhether  Mr.  Davis  obtained  a 
legal  opinion  elsewhere  which  more  nearly  accorded  with  his 
views  he  did  not  explain,  but  the  outcome  of  the  matter  was 
that  a  deed  was  prepared  (not  by  or  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
city  attorney)  and  was  ready  to  be  signed  and  delivered  when 
a  temporary  restraining  order  issued  by  Chief  Justice  Fisher, 
then  the  presiding  judge  of  the  First  District,  was  served  upon 
the  board,  which,  of  course,  prevented  the  signing  and  delivery 
of  the  deed. 

The  bill  of  complaint  upon  which  the  order  was  obtained 
was  brought  by  Henry  Altman  as  one  of  the  taxpayers  of 
the  city,  and  having-  an  interest  therein.  The  bill  of  com- 
plaint alleged  that  the  land  was  worth  several  thousand 
dollars,  and  that  it  could  not  be  sold  except  at  auc- 
tion, which  had  not  been  the  case.  He  employed  as  his 
solicitors  E.  P.  Johnson  and  C.  N.  Potter,  then  doing  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Johnson  and  Potter.  Col.  W.  R.  Steele 
was  the  attorney  for  the  railroad  company  at  that  time,  but  as 
the  company  were  disposed  to  fight  the  matter  and  obtain  the 
promised  deed  if  possible.  Judge  J.  M.  Thurston,  of  Omaha, 
was  sent  for  and  arrived  in  Cheyenne  on  the  day  of  the  election 
for  the  purpose  of  assisting  Col.  Steele. 

The  question  as  to  whether  the  temporary  restraining  oi'der 
wasn't  for  hearing  before  Chief  Justice  J.  F.  P^isher  on  .  .  ., 
day  after  the  municipal  election,  and  on  that  forenoon  the 
city  attorney  was  invited  to  a  conference  with  Judge  Thurston 
and  Col.  Steele.  There  was  nothing  to  confer  about,  however, 
for  the  official  referred  to  had  made  up  his  mind  what  to  do. 
and  in  so  doing,  as  the  board  of  trustees  had  not  conferred 
with  him  about  getting  the  citv  into  "a  bad  boat,"  he  in  turn 


144  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

did  not  confer  with  that  body  in  regard  to  getting  the  city  out 
of  the  boat. 

When  the  case  was  called  before  Judge  Fisher,  Messrs. 
Thurston  and  Steele  were  promptly  on  hand  on  behalf  of  the 
railroad  company.  Johnson  and  Potter  were  equally  prompt 
in  attendance.  The  members  of  the  board  of  trustees  were 
there,  and  Carroll,  who  appeared  for  the  city,  and  not  neces- 
sarily its  board  of  trustees,  did  not  delay  his  appearing,  and 
at  once  filed  and  presented  a  motion  to  vacate  and  dissolve  the 
temporary  restraining  order  on  the  ground  that  the  board  of 
trustees  no  longer  had  authority  to  act  for  the  city — in  other 
words,  that  the  city  was  without  a  government.  A  brief  ex- 
amination and  discussion  on  the  motion  showed  that  the  new 
charter  provided  that  the  newly  elected  mayor  and  board  of 
councilmen  should  qualify  and  enter  upon  the  discharge  of 
their  respective  duties  on  the  same  day  of  the  election.  This, 
of  course,  was  impracticable,  but  the  provision  in  the  new  charter 
did  have  the  unmistakable  eifect  of  terminating  the  official 
existence  of  the  old  board  so  that  its  members  had  no  authority 
to  act  on  behalf  of  the  city  after  that  day.  The  proceedings 
before  the  court  were  pending  against  "the  board  of  trustees 
of  the  City  of  Cheyenne"  and  there  was  no  such  board.  The 
motion  to  dissolve  the  temporary  restraining  order  on  that 
ground  was  promptly  sustained,  which  decision  deprived  the 
city  of  a  government  until  such  time  as  had  been  fixed  by 
ordinance  for  the  assembling  and  qualifying  of  the  newly 
elected  mayor,  and  members  of  the  city  council. 

The  announcement  that  the  court  had  decided  that  Chey- 
enne had  no  city  government  created  much  excitement  as  at 
first  the  matter  was  not  fully  understood — many  understand- 
ing and  believing  that  the  court  had  pronounced  the  new 
charter  invalid,  or  unconstitutional,  etc.  The  city  attorney  w^as 
upbraided  by  some  of  the  members  of  the  old  board  of  trustees, 
and  others  as  having  overturned  the  very  thing  which  he  ought 
to  have  defended,  but  the  reply  was  that  he  was  not  the  at- 
torney for  any  mere  board  of  trustees,  but  the  attorney  for 
the  city.  The  injunction  case,  of  course,  was  relegated  to  the 
pigeon  holes  in  the  clerk  of  the  court's  office,  and  has  never 
iDeen  heard  of  since,  while  the  proposition  to  sell  the  land  before- 
mentioned  to  the  railroad  company  was  effectually  disposed  of 
and  defeated. 

For  more  than  a  week  the  city  was  without  a  government, 
except  what  little  authority  the  city  attorney  assumed  to  exer- 
cise, and  City  Marshal  Slaughter,  who,  being  advised  by  the 
first  named  official  that  while  not  an  officer  de  jure,  he  was, 
nevertheless,   a   de  facto   officer.     The   four   policemen,   acting 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       145 

under  the  marshal's  orders,  continued  to  discharge  their  duties 
as  usual. 

By  the  terms  of  the  ordinance  under  which  the  first  elec- 
tion was  held  the  old  board  of  trustees  was  made  the  board 
of  canvassers  to  open  and  canvass  the  votes  cast  in  the  various 
wards,  and  declare  the  result.  Some  of  the  outgoing  members, 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  they  had  been  someAvhat  unceremoni- 
ously ejected  from  office,  did  not  like  to  perform  this  duty, 
and  there  were  those  outside  of  the  members  of  the  old  board 
who  affected  to  believe  that  if  the  members  of  the  old  board 
should  refuse  to  come  together  and  canvass  the  votes,  the  new 
city  government  could  not  be  inaugurated — at  least  for  a  con- 
siderable time.  Had  such  been  the  case,  the  votes  would,  never- 
theless, have  been  duly  and  legally  canvassed.  In  regard  to 
this,  however,  it  must  be  said  that  none  of  the  members  of  the 
old  board  had  any  intention  or  desire  to  refuse  to  canvass  the 
votes. 

In  due  time,  and  in  pursuance  of  a  call  issued  by  the  city 
attorney,  and  published  in  the  daily  papers,  Mayor-elect  Bresna- 
hen,  and  the  new  members  of  the  city  council  appeared  at  the 
city  hall,  and  were  sworn  into  office  by  Charles  F.  Miller,  then 
Judge  of  Probate,  so  that  finally,  after  many  uncertainties  and 
unlooked  for  contingencies  had  intervened,  the  city  finally  had 
a  government  in  operation  under  the  new  charter,  much  to  the 
gratification  of  the  attorney  who  was  responsible  for  over- 
turning the  last  one  under  the  old. 

The  members  of  the  city  council  chosen  at  the  first  election 
under  the  new  charter  were  as  follows : 

First  Ward T.  R.  Reid,  T.  A.  Caswell,  J.  Granger 

Second  Ward ..A.  H.  Reel,  F.  E.  Addoms,  M.  Marks 

Third  Ward..  J.W.  Hammond,  G.  G.  Masters,  A.  D.  Butler 
The  officers  appointed  were :    Marshal,  J.  N.  Slaughter 

Treasurer,  Isaac  Bergman 
Clerk    . 

Attorney,  C.  N.  Potter 
Sexton    .    .    . 


146  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Chapter  XXIII 

Laramie  County 

Cheyenne  Continued — The  Snow  Storm  of  1878 — Firemen's  Tournament 
in  Cheyenne  Brings  Visitors — Hailstorm,  August  17,  1878 — Election 
Held  for  Delegate  in-  Congress  and  County  Officers — News  of  the 
' '  Thomburg  Massacre ' '  Reaches  Cheyenne,  September  15,  1879 — 
Legislative  Campaign  of  1879 — Death  of  Hon.  Edward  P.  Johnson — 
Sixth  Legislative  Assembly — Bonds  for  Wyoming,  Montana  and 
Pacific  Railway. 

Through  the  years  1878  and  1879  we  must  now  hasten — 
noticing  only  a  few  incidents  and  matters  of  importance. 

The  new  municipal  government  started  out  auspiciously, 
and,  of  course,  with  the  best  wishes  of  all.  Mayor  Bresnahen 
and  the  city  council  did  not  agree  in  all  things,  but  their  dif- 
ferences of  opinion  had  no  detrimental  effects  on  the  affairs 
of  the  city,  which  ran  along  smoothly  enough. 

On  the  7th  day  of  March  '78 — or  rather  on  the  evening 
of  that  day  there  commenced  in  Cheyenne  what  proved  to 
be  one  of  the  most  terrible  snow  storms  which  had  visited  the 
eastern  portion  of  Wyoming  for  several  years.  The  storm 
raged  for  three  days  and  nights  with  the  utmost  fury.  The 
air  was  filled  with  driving  snow,  and  so  furious  did  the  storm 
rage  that  for  nearly  forty-eight  hours  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  see  across  the  streets,  and  it  was  actually  unsafe  to  venture 
out  ten  feet  from  the  door.  The  wdnd  blew  a  perfect  hurricane, 
and  to  add  to  the  general  gloom  and  dangerous  character  of 
the  situation  many  people  in  the  city  were  nearly  out  of  coal. 
On  the  second  day  of  the  storm  "a  relief  committee''  was 
organized,  consisting  of  Marshal  Slaughter,  the  policemen,  and 
many  citizens  who  volunteered  their  assistance,  and  many  were 
the  unfortunate  ones  whose  houses  were  completely  buried 
under  the  monstrous  snow  drifts  who  were  relieved  from  their 
dangerous  situation.  When  the  storm  was  over  the  drifts  of 
snow  in  the  principal  streets  were  nearh''  as  high  as  some  of 
the  buildings  themselves.  Small  boys  who  had  somehow  gotten 
upon  the  top  of  the  Carey  Block  amused  themselves  by  jump- 
ing off  into  the  drifts  of  snow  on  Seventeenth  Street  below.  A 
building  then  standing  on  Eddy  Street  just  south  of  Ellis' 
Candy  manufactory  was  crashed  in  by  the  weight  of  snow  on 
the  roof,  and  other  buildings  had  to  be  propped  up  from  the 
inside.  In  other  parts  of  the  country  the  storm  was  ec[ually 
severe,  and  many  people  were  frozen  to  death.  Among  the 
number  was  Jack  Lindsey,  who,  with  others,  was  sent  out  hy 
A.  H.  Reed  before  the  storm  came  on,  to  look  after  stock,  and 
when  the  storm  arose  he  got  separated  from  the  balance  of  the 
party  which  had  undertaken  to  make  its  way  to  one  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       147 

stations  on  the  Union  Pacific,  east  of  Cheyenne,  and  perished 
among  the  snow  drifts.  On  Bear  Creek  a  party  of  thirty  men 
returning  from  the  north  had  no  means  of  shelter  but  a  large 
tent,  which  was  put  up.  Several  of  the  party  started  out  to 
find  their  horses  the  second  day  of  the  storm,  and  two  Mexicans 
were  frozen  to  death,  and  another  member  of  the  party  was 
never  found.  An  aged  couple  living  in  the  vicinity  of  the  foot 
hills  west  of  Cheyenne  stayed  close  in  their  cabin  until  toward 
night  of  the  second  day  when  the  old  gentleman  went  out  to 
look  after  his  cattle  in  the  barn,  not  more  than  sixty  feet  away. 
He  did  not  return,  and  his  aged  wife  stood  at  the  door  all  night 
calling  "John,  John,  come  back  to  me."  When  the  storm  was 
over,  he  was  found  dead  nearly  half  a  mile  from  the  cabin  in 
the  snow.  The  names  of  this  couple  have  not  been  remembered, 
and  the  files  of  the  Cheyenne  papers  fail  to  disclose  them.  The 
railroads  were  blockaded  in  every  direction  during  this  storm, 
and  it  was  several  days  before  communication  was  reopened. 
It  has  always  been  fashionable  to  say  harsh  things  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railway  Company,  but  during  this  storm,  as  has 
been  already  mentioned,  many  people  were  nearly  out  of  coal, 
and  entirely  so  before  the  storm  was  over.  The  railroad  com- 
pany had  several  cars  loaded  with  coal  standing  on  a  side 
track  in  the  U.  P.  yards.  To  these  cars  nearly  everybody 
who  could  resorted  for  coal  with  the  knowledge  of  the  U.  P. 
officials,  but  to  this  day  not  a  word  has  been  said  about  that 
coal,  many  tons  of  which  was  taken  by  poor  people,  and  others 
during  this   great  "blizzard." 

On  the  18th  of  March  (1878)  James  M.  Irwin,  Esq.,  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  the  Cheyenne  bar,  died  and  was  buried 
on  the  20th.  Mr.  Irwin  was  a  man  of  ability,  and  was  at  one 
time  prior  to  his  advent  in  Cheyenne  chairman  of  the  Demo- 
cratic state  central  committee  of  Illinois.  For  a  short  time 
after  coming  to  Cheyenne  he  held  the  office  of  city  attorney. 
As  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Street  who  died  just  eight  months  before, 
a  bar  meeting  was  held,  resolutions  adopted,  speeches  made, 
and  the  members  of  the  bar  attended  his  funeral  in  a  body. 

The  largest  firemen's  tournament  ever  held  west  of  the 
Missouri  River  outside  of  Denver  and  Omaha,  occurred  in 
Cheyenne  about  the  first  of  August  of  this  year,  "Con"  Wold- 
raven  being  then  chief  of  the  department.  Fire  companies  from 
Colorado,  Nebraska,  some  from  Iowa,  and  from  nearly  every 
town  in  the  territory,  were  present,  and  participated. 

There  was  another  flood  in  the  city  during  the  summer  in 
which  many  basements  were  again  filled  with  water,  and  much 
damage  done,  and  on  the  17th  day  of  August  (1878)  a  terrible 
hailstorm  occurred  in  the  city  during  the  prevalence  of  which 
$10,000.00  damage  was  done  in  ten  minutes. 


148  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

The  election  held  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  November  for 
delegate  in  congress,  and  county  officers,  was  sharply  contested 
and  resulted  throughout  the  county  as  follows: 

For  delegate  in  congress S.  W.  Downey ...1101  votes 

E.  L.  Pease 1142 

Sheriff aeo.  A.  Draper... 1074 

H.  H.  Helphenstine....l068 
Judge  of  Probate  and 

Co.  Treasurer Chas.  F.  Miller ..1313 

F.  S.  Whitney 1028 

County  Clerk J.  K.  Jeffrey 1228 

H.  Fogleseng 891 

County  Attorney .E.  P.  Johnson 1132 

W.  H.  Miller 1006 

Supt.  of  Pub.  Schools... Rev.  J.  G.  Cowhick....ll07 

W  P.  Carroll 1016 

County  Surveyor.. W.  G.  Provines 1210 

A.  M.  Rogers 923 

Assessor J.  T.  Chaffin 1304 

Geo.  Wilford,  Sr 832 

Coroner W.   F.   Lee 1440 

Geo.  P.  Goldacker......  883 

County  Commissioners ...E.  H.  Leibey 1226 

Geo.  L.  Holt 1137 

Chas.  Hecht 1089 

W.  G.  Bullock ...1053 

John  F.   Coad 992 

John  H.   Durbin 904 

Of  the  foregoing  officers  elected,  all  with  the  exception  of 
Johnson,  Jeffrey,  Lee,  Holt,  and  Hecht  were  democrats. 

The  result  of  the  election  of  precinct  officers  in  Cheyenne 
was  as  follows : 

For  Justices  of  the  peace. ...T.  M.  Fisher 932  votes 

James  A.  Bean 786 

John  Slaughter 738 

Jas.  Talbot 686 

For  constables ..R.  H.  Kipp 939 

T.  F.  Talbot 775 

B.  H.  Smalley 731 

John  F.  Curran 726 

Fisher  and  Kipp  were  Republicans ;  Bean  and  Talbot, 
Democrats. 

In  this  election  the  result  was  so  close  between  Draper  and 
Helphenstine  for  sheriff'  that  a  contest  case  was  commenced  in 
the  courts,  but  was  finally  abandoned — the  county  officers  for 
the  ensuing  year  being  left  as  above  indicated. 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       149 

The  city  election  held  in  January  following  resulted  in  the 
re-election  of  Mayor  Bresnahen  without  opposition,  receiving 
282  votes,  and  the  new  memhers  of  the  city  council  elected 
were  :^ 

The  establishment  of  direct  commanication  by  rail  with 
Fort  Collins,  and  other  towns  in  northern  Colorado,  had  a 
marked  effect  on  business  in  Cheyenne,  and  resulted  very  bene- 
ficially to  the  people  at  both  ends  of  the  line.  Not  finding 
it  profitable  to  operate  this  line  (at  least  such  was  the  expla- 
nation) the    .    .    . 

On  the  15th  of  September,  1879,  the  news  reached  Chey- 
enne of  the  "Thornburg  Massacre"  as  it  was  called,  and 
General  Wesley  Merritt  then  in  command  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell, 
took  the  field  with  nearly  all  the  troops  at  the  post,  and  others 
from  various  points.  At  that  time  the  laws  of  the  United  States 
allowed  the  Secretary  of  the  Territory  to  have  an  assistant,  and 
J.  C.  Baircl,  Esq.,  was  officiating  in  that  capacity  as  assistant 
to  A.  Worth  Spates,  then  the  secretary. 

The  governor  of  the  territory  was  away  at  that  time,  and 
Spates,  who  was  acting  goverjior.  was  awaj  also,  so  that  the 
only  governor  the  territory  had  for  about  three  days  was  Mr. 
Baird.  For  nearly  two  days  he  was  kept  busy  answering  tele- 
grams. The  first  telegram  he  received  was  from  James  France 
at  Rawlins  announcing  the  massacre  and  saying  "send  us  200 
stand  of  arms,  and  10,000  rounds  of  ammunition."  Baird 
looked  around  through  the  "Armory"  and  found  two  muskets, 
but  plenty  of  ammunition.  He  telegraphed  back  "Can't  sent 
you  any  guns,  but  have  100,000  rounds  of  ammunition.  Shall 
I  send  the  ammunition!" 

Up  to  the  present  time,  1886,  Mr.  Baird  has  received  no 
answer  to  the  telegram. 

The  Legislative  campaign  in  Laramie  county  in  the  fall 
of  1879  was  a  novelty  in  a  political  way.  The  leaders  (some  of 
them  self  appointed)  of  both  political  parties  conceived  the 
idea  of  building  a  sort  of  a  political  "love  feast,"  whereupon 
when  the  county  conventions  were  held  a  union  ticket  was 
agreed  upon  and  put  forAvard  for  the  voters  to  support.  The 
ticket  was  composed  of  as  good  men  as  could  have  been  se- 
lected (among  the  candidates  for  the  house  being  Hon.  W.  J. 
Hardin,  the  widely  known  colored  orator)  but  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  put  forward  was  not  at  all  satisfactory  to  probably 
a  majority  of  the  people  of  the  county  (many  of  those  sup- 
porting it  not  approving  of  the  manner  of  its  nomination'i,  for 
before  the  election  occurred  (the  first  Tuesday  in  September) 


1.     Space   was  left  here  in   the   manuscript   for   insertion   of   names, 
but  never  completed  b.v  the  author. — Ed. 


150  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

a  "workingmen's"  ticket  made  its  appearance,  and  as  the 
sequel  showed  about  one-half  of  it  was  elected  as  against  both 
of  the  regular  parties  combined. 

The  result  of  the  election  was  as  follows : 

For  the  council:  M.  E.  Post,  1338;  Herman  Glafcke,  913; 
E.  P.  Johnson,  878;  Thomas  Swan,  868;  Charles  Hecht,  702; 
L.  Murrin,  578 ;  E.  A.  Slack,  547  (E.  W.  Whitcomb  also  received 
46,  although  he  was  not  a  candidate  on  either  ticket). 

For  the  House  of  Representatives :  S.  K.  Sharpless,  1355 ; 
John  E.  Davis,  995;  W.  J.  Hardin,  988;  W.  H.  Hibbard,  984; 
W.  C.  Irvine,  900;  Thomas  Conroy,  852. 

On  October  3d,  Hon.  Edward  P.  Johnson,  then  county  at- 
torney and  member  elect  of  the  territorial  council,  died,  and 
his  funeral  occurred  on  the  5th.  The  funeral  services  were 
held  at  the  residence  of  the  deceased  on  Ferguson  Street,  Chey- 
enne, and  they  were  conducted  by  Rev.  C.  M.  Sanders,  pastor 
of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  assisted  by  Rev.  J.  G. 
Cowhick  of  the  Presbyterian  and  all  other  clergymen  in  the 
city,  including  Father  Hayes  of  the  St.  John's  Catholic  Church. 
The  services  were  very  solemn  and  impressive,  and  the  pro- 
cession to  the  cemetery  was  so  long  that  the  head  of  it  had 
entered  the  gate  before  the  rear  had  moved  a  block  away  from 
the  residence.  As  the  long  procession  moved  past  the  school 
house,  the  scholars  and  pupils  of  the  school  (of  which  Mr. 
Johnson  had  been  one  of  the  founders)  with  Prof.  N.  E.  Stark, 
the  principal,  at  their  head,  came  out  and  stood  in  line  with 
uncovered  heads  until  the  solemn  pageant  had  passed,  after 
which  the  principal  and  teachers  as  well  as  many  of  the 
scholars  entered  carriages  and  followed  on  to  the  cemetery. 
Hundreds  of  the  smaller  pupils  thronged  up  the  hill  to  the 
place  of  burial  on  foot.  On  the  occasion  of  Mr.  Johnson's 
death  the  bar  held  a  meeting  and  adopted  resolutions.  Nearly 
every  member  spoke  also,  and  many  were  the  feeling  tributes 
that  were  paid  to  the  memory  of  one  of  the  noblest  and  truest 
men  that  ever  resided  in  Cheyenne.  Afterwards,  an  account  of 
the  life  and  services  of  Mr.  Johnson,  and  also  the  account  of 
his  funeral,  the  bar  meeting,  and  proceedings  were  published 
in  pamphlet  form  by  the  Congregational  Church  of  which  he 
was  a  faithful  and  consistent  member.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Susan 
R.  Johnson  (now  Mrs.  S.  J.  .  .  .),  was  in  a  few  months 
appointed  by  President  Hays  postmistress  at  Cheyenne,  and 
held  that  responsible  position  with  credit  to  herself  and  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  public  for  more  than  four  years. 

On  the  28th  day  of  October  a  special  election  was  held 
throughout  the  county  to  fill  the  vacancies  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  Hon.  E.  P.  Johnson — one  as  county  attorney,  and  the 


HISTOEY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       151 

other  as  member  elect  of  the  Sixth  Legislative  Assembly.  The 
result  of  this  special  election  was  as  f oIIoavs  : 

For  County  attorney,  J.  W.  Fisher,  621 ;  W.  H.  Miller,  584. 

For  members  of  the  territorial  council :  A.  H.  Reel,  813 ;  E. 
Nagle,  372.  It  should  be  stated  here,  however,  that  Mr. 
■Nagle  was  east  at  the  time  of  the  election,  and  had  declined 
to  run  before  going  away. 

The  Sixth  Legislative  Assembly  convened  in  Cheyenne 
early  in  November,  the  council  occupying  one  of  the  large 
rooms  on  the  first  floor  of  the  Odd  Fellows  block  on  Eddy 
Street,  and  the  house  of  representatives  the  first  floor  of  the 
O'Brien  block  on  Seventeenth  Street. 

II.  Garbanti  was  elected  president  of  the  council,  and  H.  L. 
Myrick  speaker  of  the  house.  The  session  of  the  legislature 
passed  several  bills  for  the  more  effectual  protection  of  the 
stock  interests  of  the  territory, ^  and  several  other  measures  of 
importance.  Toward  the  close  of  the  session  there  occurred  in 
the  house  of  representatives  a  very  spirited  debate  over  the 
"legislative  apportionment  bill"  which,  it  was  claimed,  dis- 
criminated very  seriously  against  Laramie  county.  At  one  of  the 
sessions  of  the  house  held  while  this  bill  was  under  consider- 
ation, Hon.  W.  J.  Hardin,  the  colored  orator,  obtained  the 
floor  and  proceeded  to  address  the  house  in  stirring  and  elo- 
quent terms  in  opposition  to  the  measure.  The  lobby  was 
packed  with  people,  many  of  whom  cheered  the  speaker  as  he 
progressed,  whereupon  the  speaker  announced  that  if  the 
cheering  Avas  repeated  he  Avould  order  the  lobby  cleared.  In 
reply  the  assurance  was  given  in  such  terms  that  the  speaker 
and  members  of  the  house  understood  then  that  the  sergeant 
at  arms,  and  all  others  who  might  undertake  the  job  would 
"have  a  good  time"  in  so  doing.  For  a  few  moments  it  looked 
as  though  there  would  be  trouble,  but  at  length  order  Avas 
restored.  The  speaker,  hoAVCA^er,  Avho  Avas  friendly  to  the  sup- 
porters of  the  bill  finally  refused  to  put  the  motion  on  an  appeal 
from  one  of  his  rulings,  Avhereupon  Hon.  E.  W.  ]\Iann  presented 
and  demanded  the  ((uestion  on  a  resolution  deposing  the 
speaker.  This  created  a  great  sensation — Speaker  j\Iyrick  him- 
self being  perceptibly  agitated,  and  evidently  of  the  opinion 
that  he  had  at  least  made  a  mistake. 

The  resolution  Avas  defeated,  hoAvever,  the  vote  being  8 
for  and  13  against  it — their  voting  in  the  affirmative  being 
the  Laramie  county  members.  A  final  vote  being  taken  on  the 
apportionment  bill  the  same  evening,  it  Avas  passed,  but  subse- 
quently A-etoed  by  Governor  Thayer. 


2.     Session  Laws  of  Wyoming,  1879:  Stock,  Herding.  Branding,  and 
Care  of — Chapters  69  through  73,  pages  132-135. 


152  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

This  session  of  the  legislature  also  passed  an  act  author- 
izing the  county  of  Laramie  to  issue  bonds  to  the  extent  of 
$400,000  to  the  Wyoming,  Montana  and  Pacific  Railway 
Company^  in  aid  of  the  construction  of  a  railroad  northAvard 
from  Cheyenne,  and  under  this  act  a  special  election  was  held 
January  29,  1880,  resulting  in  favor  of  the  issuance  of  the 
bonds  l3y  an  overwhelming  majority.  The  subject  of  railroads 
and  railroad  bonds  will  be  referred  to,  however,  in  another 
place. 

On  December  7th  of  this  year  occurred  the  death  of  one 
of  Cheyenne's  most  estimable  and  devoted  Christian  ladies — 
Mrs.  C.  W.  Riner — and  the  event  cast  a  gloom  over  the  entire 
city.  Mrs.  Riner  had  become  a  bride  but  a  few  months  before, 
and  an  exceedingly  bright  and  useful  future  apparently  lay 
before  her,  but  death  claimed  her  for  its  own.  Her  life  was  so 
beautiful  and  sweet  that  her  death  was  a  sad  blow  to  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  the  community  at  large.  Her  memory  will 
live  and  be  kept  green  "while  the  days  and  the  years  roll  by." 

At  the  municipal  election  which  occurred  the  second 
week  in  January  the  vote  for  mayor  stood  F.  S.  Addoms,  407 ; 
Joseph  Granger,  121 ;  and  the  three  new  councilmen  elected  for 
the  year  1880  were   ... 

Chapter  XXIV 

Laramie  County 

History  of  Fort  D.  A.  Russell — The  Commanding  Officers  from  1867  to 
1886 — Fire  at  Fort  Russell  in  1876 — The  Fort  Rebuilt — A  Murder  at 
the  Fort  by  Will  Baker — Camp  Carlin's  Fire  Brigade — Wyoming 
Stockgrower's  Association  and  Its  Early  History. 

We  must  now  pause  in  the  history  of  events  in  the  chrono- 
logical order  in  which  they  have  occurred  to  consider  many 
matters  of  importance  that  have  only  been  incidentally  alluded 
to  heretofore,  and  in  this  part  of  the  work  exact  dates  cannot 
always  be  given  as  they  are  not  obtainable  at  this  time. 

The  important  military  post.  Fort  David  A.  Russell 
(named  from  G-en.  David  A.  Russell,  a  Union  brigadier  general 
of  volunteers,  who  was  killed  in  one  of  the  battles  of  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion  fought  in  Virginia),  has  been  alluded  to  from 
time  to  time  since  our  task  began,  and  while  no  attempt  will 
here  be  made  to  give  a  history  of  the  post  as  a  military  station, 
yet  a  more  extended  allusion  to  it  than  has  yet  been  made  will 
be  in  order  at  this  point. 

On  the  1st  day  of  July,  1867,  Gen.  John  D.  Stevenson  with 
two  companies  of  cavalry  and  two  companies  of  Pawnee  scouts 

3.     Ibid.    Bonds,  Railroad,  Laramie  County — Chapter  12,  pages  24-28. 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       153 

under  Major  Frank  North  "the  pale  face  chief"  as  has  already 
been  stated,  arrived  on  the  present  site  of  the  City  of  Cheyenne 
from  Julesbnrg,  Neb.,  and  went  into  camp  at  a  point  about 
500  yards  north  of  the  elevated  ground  overlooking  what  is 
now  known  as  "the  Nineteenth  Street  bridge"  over  Crow 
Creek,  and  on  the  east  side  of  that  stream.  Here  they  remained 
until  July  6th,  when  the  troops  broke  camp  and  went  farther 
up  the  creek  to  what  is  now  Camp  Carlin. 

In  a  few  days  thereafter  several  additional  companies  ar- 
rived when  a  still  further  northerly  move  was  made  to  the 
present  site  of  Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  three  miles  from  Cheyenne, 
two  or  three  companies,  however,  remaining  at  what  is  now 
Camp  Carlin  (or  Cheyenne  Depot).  In  December,  1867,  Presi- 
dent Grant  by  an  executive  order  set  apart  and  defined  the 
boundaries  of  the  Fort  D.  A.  Russell  military  reservation,  since 
which  time  it  has  been  a  permanent  military  post. 

The  first  commander  of  the  post  as  we  have  already  seen 
was  Gen.  John  D.  Stevenson,  a  man  wdio  in  those  early  days 
by  his  liberal  interpretation  of  the  powers  with  which  he  was 
vested  by  his  generosity  and  fine  soldierly  qualities  did  much 
to  assist  the  founders  and  early  pioneers  of  the  "Magic  City" 
in  their  gallant  efforts  to  enforce  laAv  and  order  in  the  new 
town. 

General  John  E.  King  was  the  second  commander,  and 
■after  him  came  Col.  Burnford,  of  the  8th  infantry.  The  next 
commanding  officer  was  the  gallant  Gen.  W.  F.  Reynolds,  who 
was  commander  of  the  post  from  early  in  1874  until  the  spring 
of  1876,  and  during  the  time  led  an  expedition  (in  the  winter  of 
1875-1876)  into  the  northern  portion  of  the  territory,  but  for 
some  alleged  misconduct,  charges  were  preferred  against  him 
which  resulted  in  a  court  martial,  of  which  General  John  Pope 
was  president,  and  which  convened  at  the  Inter  Ocean  Hotel 
in  Cheyenne  in  the  summer  of  1876,  but  resulted  in  establishing 
virtually  nothing  against  Reynolds.  He,  however,  soon  after 
retired  from  active  service,  and  was  succeeded  as  commander 
at  Fort  Russell  by  Lieut.  Col.  L.  G.  Brackett,  of  the  5th  Cavalry, 
who  was  in  turn  succeeded  by  General  Wesley  Merritt  (former- 
ly, like  Reynolds,  a  major  general  of  volunteers,  but  then 
colonel  of  the  5th  Cavalry).  In  1881,  Col.  John  S.  ]\[ason,  of 
the  9th  Infantry,  took  command  at  Fort  Russell,  and  is  still 
(July  1,  1886)  in  command  of  the  post,  although  orders  have 
been  issued  which  will  soon  result  in  a  change. 

Portions  of  many  different  regiments  have  been  from  time 
to  time  stationed  at  Fort  Russell,  and  occasionally  there  have 
been  as  many  as  sixteen  companies  in  all  in  camp  at  this  place, 
and  Camp  Carlin.  Most  of  the  married  officers  who  have  been 
stationed  at  Fort  Russell  for  anv  considerable  length  of  time 


154  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

have  had  their  families  there  with  them,  and  mingling  as  they 
have  always  done  with  society  people  in  Cheyenne,  the  relations 
between  the  military  at  the  "post"  has  made  it  pleasant  for 
both. 

In  the  winter  of  1876  a  very  destructive  fire  occurred  at 
Fort  Russell,  which  resulted  in  the  complete  destruction  of 
more  than  half  of  the  most  substantial  buildings  at  the  post. 
It  was  a  bitter  cold  night  when  the  fire  broke  out,  the  thermo- 
meter indicating  twenty-two  degrees  below  zero,  and  although 
the  Cheyenne  fire  department  made  an  effort  to  go  to  the 
rescue,  yet,  so  intense  was  the  cold  that  the  "Durant"  fire 
engine  which  was  to  have  been  taken  along  froze  up  before 
one-half  the  distance  between  Cheyenne  and  Camp  Carlin  had 
been  made.  Many  of  the  individual  firemen,  however,  reached 
the  post,  and  did  what  they  could  to  stay  the  progress  of  the 
flames.  For  a  long  time  the  "burnt  district"  Avas  n'^t  rebuilt, 
but  at  length  Congress  made  an  appropriation  of  $80,000,  which 
was  afterwards  increased,  and  the  wooden  buildings  destroyed 
by  the  fire  were  replaced  with  substantial  and  even  ornamental 
brick  structures,  so  that  at  present  Fort  Russell  is  perhaps  the 
finest  military  post  in  the  entire  west. 

While  ordinarily  the  private  soldier  stationed  at  Fort  Rus- 
sell have  behaved  well,  yet  there  have  been  times  (pay  days) 
when  many  of  them  have  overstepped  the  bounds  of  propriety, 
and  whole  chapters  might  be  written  of  their  conflicts  with  the 
police  of  Cheyenne. 

On  the  11th  day  of  December,  1877,  an  event  occurred  at 
Fort  Russell  which  for  a  time  created  great  excitement  among 
the  soldiers  and  resulted  in  preparations  for  a  lynching  by 
them.  A  young  man  named  Will  Baker,  the  son  of  the  former 
adjutant  general  of  Iowa,  also  ex-governor  of  New  Hampshire, 
was  at  Fort  Russell  at  that  time  in  the  capacity  of  a  "hanger 
on"  in  camp,  and  having  a  quarrel  with  a  soldier  named 
Thomas  Murray,  went  and  bought  a  butcher  knife,  for  which 
he  paid  fifty  cents,  sought  out  his  victim,  and  stabbed  him  to 
death,  inflicting  several  wounds,  two  of  which  were  mortal. 
Baker  was  arrested  and  lodged  in  jail  at  Cheyenne,  and  on 
March  26,  1878,  was  placed  on  trial  in  the  United  States  court 
(the  killing  having  occurred  on  the  military  reservation)  for 
murder  in  the  first  degree.  Hon.  Galuska  Parsons  of  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  W.  H.  Miller,  and  another  Cheyenne  attorney, 
appeared  in  defense  of  Baker,  and  Hon.  E.  P.  Johnson,  then 
U.  S.  District  Attorney  for  Wyoming,  appeared  in  behalf  of  the 
prosecution.  The  defense  set  up  the  plea  of  insanity,  and  after 
a  long  and  exciting  trial  Baker  was  acquitted.  The  soldiers 
were  greatly  excited,  and  incensed  at  the  result,  and  deter- 
mined to  lynch  Baker  if  they  could  get  a  chance.    Prior  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       155 

trial  a  large  party  of  them  went  to  the  court  house  in  Cheyenne 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  Baker  out  of  jail  in  order  that  they 
might  lynch  him,  but  found  no  one  in  the  U.  S.  Marshal's  office 
except  W.  B.  Hugas,  who  did  not  have  the  keys  to  the  jail,  ])ut 
told  them  they  must  find  the  Sheriff  if  they  wanted  them. 
When  they  left  the  court  house  in  search  of  the  keys  or  other 
means  to  effect  an  entrance,  the  alarm  was  spread  and  they 
made  no  further  attempt  at  that  time.  AVhen  Baker  was  ac- 
quitted, however,  the  determination  to  lynch  him  Avas  revived, 
and  it  was  carried  to  such  an  extent  that  a  large  party  of 
cavalrymen  (unknown,  however,  to  the  officers)  mounted  their 
horses,  and  rode  down  to  Archer  station,  six  miles  east  of 
Cheyenne,  for  the  purpose  of  stopping  the  passenger  train  on 
which  it  was  expected  Baker  would  be  sent  east,  and  thereby 
getting  a  chance  to  hang  him.  In  this  they  were  foiled,  how- 
ever, for  his  attorneys  sent  him  out  of  Cheyenne  via  the  Colo- 
rado Central,  which  was  then  in  operation. 

The  indignation  at  the  acquittal  of  Baker  was  not  con- 
fined to  the  soldiers,  but  was  (iiiite  general  among  the  people 
of  Cheyenne.  Three  weeks  after  Baker  readied  his  home  in 
Iowa  he  made  an  attempt  to  kill  his  own  mother  (who  was 
present  at  his  trial  in  Cheyenne),  was  taken  before  the  state 
board  of  medical  examiners,  unanimously  pronounced  insane, 
and  sent  to  the  asylum.  He  escaped  from  that  institution,  how- 
ever, but  was  captured  and  taken  back,  but  managed  to  get 
away  the  second  time,  and  eventually  enlisted.  Unfortunately 
he  was  sent  out  to  Fort  Russell  among  a  lot  of  recruits,  but 
before  he  was  recognized  by  the  soldiers.  Gen.  E.  C.  David,  and 
other  friends  of  the  Baker  family  went  to  Fort  Russell  and  laid 
the  matter  before  the  commanding  officer.  Baker  was  turned 
over  to  them  and  lodged  in  jail  at  Cheyenne  for  safe  keeping. 
At  length  an  order  was  received  from  the  War  Department 
transferring  Baker  to  Fort  Steele,  whither  he  was  sent,  but 
died  in  the  service  in  the  course  of  a  year. 

About  midway  between  Cheyenne  and  Fort  D.  A.  Russell 
is  situated  Camp  Carlin,  at  Avliich  place  troops  have  been  sta- 
tioned ever  since  Cheyenne  grew  out  of  the  plains,  and  even 
before  a  post  was  established  at  Russell.  It  has  never  been, 
however,  a  separate  military  station,  being  subordinate  to  and 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  commander  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell. 

The  clerks  and  other  government  at  Camp  Carlin  early  in 
its  history  organized  a  fire  company  at  that  place  called  the 
"Gillis  Hose  Company"  in  honor  of  Capt.  Gillis  who  was  cliief 
quartermaster  at  the  Camp  for  a  number  of  years,  and  a  Bab- 
cock  engine  was  purchased  by  the  government  for  the  use  of 
the  company.  The  name  of  the  company  was  finally  changed 
to  the  "Phil  Sheridan"  which  name  it  still  bears.   This  gallant 


156  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

company  has  many  times  gone  to  the  assistance  of  the  Chey- 
enne fire  department  when  destructive  fires  have  raged,  and 
for  some  years  it  has  been  one  of  the  companies  comprising 
the  dejjartment. 

At  this  point  some  mention  should  be  made  of  the  Wyo- 
ming Stockgrowers '  Association,  whose  headquarters  has 
always  been  at  Cheyenne.  This  branch  of  the  subject  comes 
under  the  head  of  the  general  history  of  the  territory,  but, 
nevertheless,  should  be  alluded  to  locally  for  the  reason  above 
given. 

While  the  stock  interests  of  Laramie  county  have  be-^n 
inadvertently  mentioned  a  number  of  times  the  assertion  has 
nowliere  been  made  as  yet  that  the  cattle  business  has  ever  been 
the  great  leading  industry  of  not  only  Laramie  county  but  of  the 
entire  territory  as  well.  Such  is  the  ease  however  and  the  enter- 
prising "cattlemen"  and  shrewd  capitalists  who  have  built  up 
this  interest  within  the  county  and  territory  are  entitled  and 
universally  receive  the  credit  of  placing  the  territory  in  the 
front  rank  in  the  great  sisterhood  of  states  and  territories  com- 
prising the  American  Union.  True  it  is  that  the  country  is 
especially  and  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  grazing  of  cattle  and 
that  unless  the  enterprising  stockgroAvers  at  home  and  capital- 
ists from  abroad  who  reside  in,  or  have  invested  here,  and  who 
have  done  so  much  to  build  up  the  territory,  had  not  invested 
and  embarked  in  the  business,  others  who  have  perhaps  never 
visited  the  territory  would  have  come  to  Wyoming  and  done 
what  our  home  people  and  friendly  capitalists  are  now  doing, 
but  this  does  not  materially  alter  the  case. 

There  are  many  noble  men  in  Wyoming,  and  especially  in 
Laramie  county,  who  have  labored  for  years  to  built  up  the 
cattle  interests,  and  they  are  entitled  to  the  credit  which  is — 
or  ought  to  be — extended  to  the  soldier  who  goes  out  to  fight 
the  battles  of  his  country. 

The  Wyoming  Stockgrowers'  Association  composed  of  not 
only  residents  of  Wyoming,  but  numbers  among  its  members 
many  cattlemen  from  Nebraska,  Colorado,  Dakota,  and  ^uon- 
tana,  and  which  convenes  annually  on  the  second  Monday  in 
April  at.  Cheyenne,  like  many  other  large  influential  and 
flourishing  associations  had  a  somewhat  humble  origin  as  we 
shall  presently  see. 

In  the  month  of  April,  3871,  Judge  W.  L.  Kuykendall,  M. 
V.  Boughton,  John  Snodgrass,  D.  C.  Tracy,  John  H.  Durbin, 
Milton  Taylor,  and  not  to  exceed  ten  or  twelve  others,  met  at 
Judge  Kuykendall 's  office  at  the  court  house,  and  proceeded  to 
organize  the  "Laramie  County  Stock  Association,"  M.  V. 
Boughton  being  elected  president,  John  H.  Durbin,  vice-  r  si- 
dent,  and  W.  L.  Kuykendall,  secretary.   A  constitution  and  by- 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING,  WRITTEN  BY  C.  G.  COUTANT       157 

laws  were,  of  course,  adopted.  The  association  though  few  in 
numbers  at  first,  had  somewhere  between  thirty  and  forty  mem- 
bers before  it  had  been  organized  a  year.  One  of  the  most  impor- 
tant questions  which  occupied  the  attention  of  the  association  in 
the  early  clays  of  its  history  was  the  subject  of  brands.  Judge 
Kuykendall,  M.  V.  Boughton,  and  J.  H.  Durbin  contended  that 
the  association  ought  to  urge  upon  the  legislature  the  pro- 
priety of  enacting  laws  making  the  recording  of  brands  a  terri- 
torial matter.  The  point  argued  was  that  by  so  doing  there 
would  be  no  conflicting  brands  put  on  record  as  might  be  done 
by  Mr.  Jones  having  recorded  in  Albany  county  the  same  brand 
Mr.  Smith  had  previously  recorded  in  Laramie  county. 

The  views  advanced  by  these  gentlemen  on  the  matter  of 
brands  were  for  some  inexplicable  reason  either  ignored  or  over- 
ruled altogether — at  all  events  they  were  not  adopted  by  the 
association. 

A  reorganization  of  the  Laramie  County  Stock  Association 
was  effected  under  the  name  of  ' '  The  Wyoming  Stockgrowers, 
and  very  soon  had  a  large  membership. 

Among  the  most  active  and  foremost  of  its  members,  and 
who  have  done  efficient  service  for  the  association  within  the 
past  fcAv  years  are  Thomas  Sturges,  Judge  J.  M.  Carey,  T.  A. 
McShane,  N.  R.  Davis,  Hon.  A.  H.  Swan,  Andrew  Gilchrist, 
Gov.  F.  E.  Warren,  D.  Sheedy,  Geo.  A.  Keeline,  W.  C.  Irvine, 
Col.  A.  T.  Babbitt,  G.  B.  Goodell,  C.  A.  Campbell,  T.  B.  Hord, 
and  many  others. 

Perhaps  no  man  in  the  association  has  done  as  much 
toward  placing  the  organization  where  it  now  stands — at  the 
head  of  all  the  stock  associations  in  the  west — as  Hon.  Thomas 
Sturges,  a  man  whose  abilities  are  conceded  to  be  of  a  very  high 
order.  Mr.  Sturges  has  been  secretary  of  the  association  for 
several  years. 

In  the  constant  employ  of  the  association  are  a  number  of 
stock  inspectors,  among  whom  are  N.  K.  Boswell,  ex-sheriff  of 
Albany  county,  the  territorial  inspectors,  and  Messrs.  W.  C. 
Lykins,  John  Rees,  and  Bern  Morrison.  Messrs.  Lykins  and 
Rees  are  the  principal  inspectors  for  Laramie  county,  and  both 
have  made  records  as  officers  of  which  they  may  well  be  proud. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  Mr.  Morrison. 

A  large  number  of  enterprising  and  liberal  minded  English 
and  Scotch  capitalists,  some  of  whom  do  not  actually  reside  in 
Laramie  county,  have  invested  within  it,  however,  and  while 
they  are  not  only  honorable  gentlemen,  and  pleasant  neighbors, 
but  have  done,  and  are  now  doing  much  to  build  up  and  de- 
velop the  country.  Some  of  them  are  not  engaged  exclusively 
in  the  cattle  business,  but  as  members  of  ditch  and  irrigating 


158  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

companies  are  seeking  to  reclaim  vast  tracks  of  land  in  various 
parts  of  the  count}'. 

NOTE — -This  concludes  that  portion  of  the  ' '  Coutant  Notes ' '  known 
as  the  Laramie  County  manuscript,  publication  of  which  was  started  in 
the  January,  1940,  issue  of  the  ANNALS.  The  remainder  of  the  Coutant 
material  is  composed  of  short  biographical  sketches  of  men  of  Wyoming. 
While  a  number  of  these  cannot  be  used  because  of  Mr.  Coutant 's  system 
of  brevity  employed  in  making  notes,  together  with  the  long  lapse  of 
time  since  the  data  was  gathered,  we  plan  to  present  in  future  issues  of 
the  ANNALS  as  much  of  this  material  as  possible. — Ed. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES 

Much  of  Wyoming 's  history  is  woven  around  the  place  names 
of  the  state,  names  which  are  a  heritag'e  from  the  Indians,  early 
explorers,  trappers,  traders  and  settlers.  No  compilation  of 
these  has  ever  been  attempted  to  date.  Beginning  with  this 
issue  of  the  ANNALS,  Wyoming  place  names  and  their  origins 
will  be  published. 

Many  of  the  sources  of  names  are  yet  to  be  found,  as  his- 
torical files  are  incomplete.  Readers  are  invited  to  send  in  cor- 
rections and  new  or  additional  material. 


Wyoming.  The  name  Wyoming  is  probably  an  imprint  left 
by  immigrants  on  their  westward  trek  from  Wyoming  Valley, 
Pennsylvania.  The  word  means  mountains  and  valleys  alternat- 
ing, while  the  Delaware  Indian  interpretation  of  it  is  a  corrup- 
tion of  Maugh-wau-wa-ma,  meaning  "The  Large  Plains."* 

Counties 

Albany.  Established  1868.  Named  by  a  resident  of  Al- 
bany, New  York,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Dakota  Legislature 
when  the  county  was  organized,  before  Wyoming  became  a  terri- 
tory.— Hebard,^  p.  57. 

Big  Horn.  Established  1890.  Named  for  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains  which  in  turn  tools,  their  name  from  the  Big  Horn  or 
Rocky  Mountain  Sheep. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Campbell.  Established  1911.  Named  for  the  first  Terri- 
torial Governor  of  Wyoming,  John  A.  Campbell. — A.  J.  Mokler, 
Casper,  Wyoming.* 

*An  asterisk  (*)  indicates  that  the  material  has  been  taken  from 
the  manuscript  files  of  the  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department.  In 
some  instances  a  second  source  of  information  is  given. 

1.     History  and  Government  of  Wyoming,  1921  edition. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  159 

Carbon.  Established  1868.  So  named  because  of  the  large 
coal  beds  in  the  county. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Converse.  Established  1888.  Named  in  memory  of  A.  R. 
Converse,  a  stockman  who  lived  in  Cheyenne  and  who  was  Terri- 
torial Treasurer  from  1876-1880. — Bancroft^  p.  758. 

Crook.  Established  1875.  Named  for  General  George  II. 
Crook,  famous  soldier  and  Indian  fighter. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Fremont.  Established  1884.  Named  for  General  John  C. 
Fremont,  pathfinder  and  explorer. — A.  J.  Mokler.* 

Goshen.  Established  1911.  From  the  Biblical  "Land  of 
Goshen"  where  are  found  rich  and  fertile  lands  and  plentiful 
water. — A.  J.  Mokler.* 

Hot  Springs.  Established  1911.  Named  for  the  hot  springs 
located  at  Thermopolis  in  that  county. — Hebard,  p.  58. 

Johnson.  Established  1875.  Named  for  E.  P.  Johnson,  a 
lawyer  of  Cheyenne  and  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  at 
the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  county. — Bancroft,  p.  784. 

Laramie.  Established  1867.  Named  for  Jacques  LaRamie, 
French-Canadian  trapper  who  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near 
what  was  later  Fort  Laramie,  also  named  for  him. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Lincoln.  Established  1911.  The  county  was  named  in 
honor  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  sixteenth  President  of  the  United 
States. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Natrona.  Established  1888.  Derived  its  name  from  the 
Spanish  natron,  meaning  "native  carbonate  of  soda."  The 
name  was  given  to  the  county  because  of  the  springs  and  deposits 
of  this  character  within  its  limits. — A.  J.  Mokler.* 

Niobrara.  Established  1911.  Takes  its  name  from  the  Nio- 
brara River,  which  in  the  Omaha  Indian  language  signifies  "flat" 
or  "broad"  river. — Bureau  of  American  Ethnologv,  Bulletin  30, 
part  2,  p.  500.3 

Park.  Established  1909.  So  named  as  being  significant  of 
the  great  wonderland  on  its  western  border,  Yellowstone  National 
Park. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Platte.  Established  1911.  Derives  its  name  from  the 
North  Platte  River,  which  in  French  is  platem,  meaning  "dull'' 
or  "shallow."— A.  J.  Mokler.* 

Sheridan.  Established  1888.  Named  in  honor  of  General 
Philip  H.  Sheridan.— A.  J.  ^Mokler.* 

Sublette.  Established  1921.  Named  for  "William  L.  Sub- 
lette, the  famed  pioneer  fur  trader. — A.  J.  Mokler.* 

Sweetwater.  Established  1867.  Named  for  the  Sweet- 
water River  in  that  countv. — A.  J.  ]\Iokler.* 


2.  Bancroft's   Worls.   \ol\m\o   25:    Nevada.   Colorado   and   "Wyoming, 
1540-1888. 

3.  Edited  by  Fre<1erie  Webb  Hodge  and  jniblishod  by  the  Government 
Printing-  Office,  Washington,  D.  C. 


180  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Teton.  Established  1921.  Derives  its  name  from  the  Teton 
Mountains  within  its  border.  The  name  is  that  of  a  division  of 
the  Sioux  tribe  and  was  variously  written  Teton,  Titon,  Titon- 
wan,  meaning  ' '  dwellers  on  the  prairies. ' ' — Bureau  of  American 
Ethnology,  Bulletin  30,  part  2,  p.  736. 

Uinta.  Established  1869.  fs^araed  for  a  division  of  the  Utes 
formerly  living  in  northeastern  Utah.  It  is  a  contraction  of 
Uintats. — Bureau  of  American  Ethnology,  Bulletin  30,  part  2, 
p.  863. 

Washakie.  Established  1911.  Named  for  Chief  Washakie, 
famous  Shoshone  Indian  who  was  always  a  friend  of  the  white 
man.— Hebard,  p.  58. 

Weston.  Established  1890.  Named  for  Dr.  J.  B.  Weston 
who  was  instrumental  in  bringing  a  railroad  into  that  section  of 
the  state. — Hebard,  p.  57. 

Cities  and  Towns 

Acme,  Sheridan  County.  Named  to  designate  the  coal  mine 
situated  there. — Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byron,  Sheridan,  Wyoming.* 

Afton,  Lincoln  County.  Namecl  for  the  song  "  Floiv  Gently 
Sweet  Afton." — Mrs.  Grace  W.  Groutage,  Kemmerer,  Wyoming.* 

Almy,  Uinta  County.     Named  for  James  T.  Almy.* 

Altamont,  Uinta  Countv.  Italian  for  "at  the  top  of  the 
hills."* 

Arapahoe,  Fremont  County.  A  trading  post  and  Arapa- 
hoe Indian  sub-agency. — Wyoming  Guide,'^  p.  391.* 

Arminto,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  Manuel  Armenta 
who  started  the  Jack  Pot  Ranch  nearby.  The  C.  B.  &  Q.  Rail- 
road changed  the  spelling. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  326.* 

Arvada,  Sheridan  County.  Accounted  for  by  the  Burlington 
Railroad  when  the  town  sprung  up  on  its  line. — Mrs.  Elsa  Spear 
Byron.* 

Auburn,  Lincoln  County.  A  party  of  Mormons  erected 
cabins  here  in  August.  1879.  After  one  season,  they  moved  to 
other  parts  of  the  valley,  but  the  settlement  was  revived  a  few 
3'ears  later.  Because  the  vacant  cabins  reminded  someone  of 
Oliver  Goldsmith's  Deserted  Village  the  place  was  named  Au- 
burn.— Wyoming  Guide.,  p.  396. 

Badw^vter,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  Badwater  Creek 
on  which  it  is  located.* 

Baggs,  Carbon  County.  Named  for  Maggie  and  George 
Baggs,  early  settlers. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  242. 

Banner,  Sheridan  County.  The  original  postmaster  of  this 
postoffice  lived  at  the  crossing  of  Prairie  Dog  Creek  on  the  Boze- 

4.  Wyoming,  a  Guide  to  Its  History,  Hir/hivays,  and  People,  compiled 
by  workers  of  the  Writer?;'  Program  of  the  Work  Projects  Administration 
in  the  State  of  Wyoming;  State  Supervisor,  Mrs.  Agnes  Wright  Spring. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  161 

man  Trail.    His  brand  was  a  flag  and  people  called  it  a  banner. — 
Wyoming  Guide,  p.  270.* 

Basin,  Big  Horn  County.  Located  in  the  heart  of  the  Big 
Horn  Basin  from  which  it  derives  its  name.* 

Big  Horn,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains,  at  the  foot  of  which  range  it  is  located.* 

Buffalo,  Johnson  County.  Located  on  virgin  buffalo 
grounds  which  were  claimed  bv  the  Indians. — Wyoming  Guide, 
p.  273. 

Byron,  Big  Horn  County.  Named  for  Byron  Sessions,  one 
of  the  leaders  of  the  Mormon  colonists  who  entered  the  Big  Horn 
Basin  in  1900.* 

Careyhurst,  Converse  County.  Named  for  Hon.  Joseph  M. 
Carey. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  282. 

Carter,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  Judge  W.  A.  Carter  of 
Fort  Bridger. — Crofutt,^  p.  83. 

Casper,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  the  young  lieutenant, 
Caspar  Collins,  who  lost  his  life  while  gallantly  attacking  a 
superior  force  of  Indian?  at  a  military  post  at  Platte  Bridge, 
later  named  Fort  Casper.*  According  to  old  timers  the  spelling 
became  changed  through  a  mistake  in  the  post  office  department 
in  Washington.  Another  theory,  too,  is  that  the  people  generally 
misspelled  the  name  until  the  established  spelling  became  "Cas- 
per" instead  of  "Caspar." — Caspar  Collins  by  Agnes  AVright 
Spring,  p.  185. 

CiJEYENNE,  Laramie  County.  Bears  Ihe  name  of  an  Algon- 
quian  tribe  of  Plains  Indians  who  called  themselves  Dzitsistas. 
The  word  Cheyenne  is  a  corruption  of  the  name  given  the  tribe 
by  the  Sioux  and  is  said  to  signify  "aliens."* 

Chugwater,  Platte  County.  Located  on  the  Chugwater 
River,  so  named  because,  when  buffalo  Avere  driven  over  a  nearby 
bluff  by  Indians  and  fell  from  the  roeks  into  the  water,  they  made 
a  sound  like  chug;  the  Indians  called  the  stream  "the  water  at 
the  place  where  the  buffalo  chug,"  and  the  name  was  shortened 
to  Chugwater  by  white  settlers. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  291.* 

Clearmont,  Sheridan  County.  So  called  because  of  its 
location  on  Clear  Creek.* 

Cody,  Park  County.  Named  in  honor  of  Colonel  AVilliam  F. 
Cody,  famous  guide,  scout  and  showman,  who  founded  the  town. 
— Wyoming  Guide,  p.  336. 

Crowheart,  Fremont  County.  A  post  office  near  Crowheart 
Butte.  Legend  says  that  Chief  Washakie  once  fought  a  duel 
with  a  Crow  Chieftain  and  that  he  lulled  the  Crow  and  cut  out 
his  heart  and  ate  it  to  augment  his  strength  in  battle. — Wyoming 
Guide,  p.  306. 


5.  Crofutt's  Trans-ContinentiU  Tourist's  Guide,  published  in  1S71,  a 
copy  of  which  is  located  in  the  reference  library  of  the  Wyoming  Historical 
Department. 


WYOMING  STATE  MUSEUM— 1942 

Housed  in  the  new  Supreme  Court  and  Library  Building  in 
Cheyenne,  with  vault  space  and  fireproof  protection,  the  Mu- 
seum provides  for  the  preservation  and  display  of  the  prized 
possessions  of  Wyoming  pioneers. 

Perpetuate  your  family  name  by  placing  your  historical 
collections  and  relics  in  your  State  Museum,  where  they  may 
be  permanently  preserved  and  enjoyed  by  the  thousands  of 
visitors. 

Everything  that  is  presented  to  the  Museum  is  numbered, 
labeled,  recorded  and  card  indexed,  thus  insuring  permanent 
identification. 


ACCESSIONS      ' 

to  the 

WYOMING  HISTORICAL   DEPARTMENT 
January  1,  1942  to  April  1,  1942 

Miscellaneous  Gifts 

Demiug,  Wm.  C,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Framed  plaque  containing  two 
fossils  of  fish. 

Metz,  Fred,  Ft.  Laramie,  Wyoming — Socket  bone,  not  petrified,  of  a  large 
prehistoric  animal,  found  by  Mr.  Metz  west  of  Ft.  Fetterman. 

Nevels,  George,  Casper,  Wyoming —Quilt  depicting  Wyoming  scenes, 
made  by  the  Towiisend  Ladies  of  Riverton,  Wyoming. 

Gallagher,  Wm.  F.,  Colorado-Wyoming  District  C.C.C.  Headquarters,  Lit- 
tleton, Colorado — One  framed  series  of  pictures  and  one  framed 
memorial  of  Black  Water  Forest  fire  casualties,  Shoshone  National 
Forest  near  Cody,  Wyoming. 

O'Douoghue,  A.,  Thermopolis,  Wyoming — Copies  of  articles  written  by 
Mr.  O'Donoghue  concerning  Wyoming  history  in  the  Big  Horn  Basin. 

Carey  Act  Department,  A.  P.  Russell,  Engineer,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — 
Copies  of  reports  of  the  State  Engineer  on  the  Big  Horn  County 
Canal,  1908,  and  the  Thermopolis  Hot  Springs,  1907. 

Dunn,  Ira,  Douglas,  Wyoming — One  piece  of  petrified  bone,  a  section  of 
a  petrified  fish,  speciman  of  petrified  wood. 

Winter,  Mrs.  Zita,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Piece  of  the  lower  half  of  a 
petrified  squid,  found  in  Albany  County  near  the  dinosaur  beds. 

Benson,  Mrs.  Ethel,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Specimen  of  salt  in  its  natural 
state  from  Great  Salt  Lake,  Utah. 

Pictures — Gifts 

Williams,  Mrs.  Al,  Banner,  Wyoming — Photographs  of  Mr.  and  [Mrs.  Al 
Williams;  kodak  picture  of  their  ranch  home. 

Johnson,  Mrs.  Jessamine  Spear,  Big  Horn,  Wyoming — Four  photographs: 
two  of  a  chuck  wagon  outfit;  the  old  Gold  City  at  Bald  Mountain, 
Wyoming;  the  Medicine  Wheel. 

Woodbury,  Mrs.  Emily,  Kansas  City,  Missouri — Three  kodak  pictures  of 
Al  Austin  of  the  Jackson  Hole  Country,  Wyoming. 

O'Donoghue,  A.,  Thermopolis,  Wyoming — Five  kodak  pictures:  Ther- 
mopolis Hot  Springs;  tablet  to  Robert  Foote;  A.  O'Donoghue,  dog 
and  horse;  A.  O'Donoghue 's  cabin;  house  for  which  John  A.  Skinner, 
who  aided  in  capture  of  Jefferson  Davis,  made  part  of  the  brick. 


164  ■  ANNALS  Or  WYOMING 

Carey  Act  Department,  A.  P.  Eussell,  Engineer,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — 
Ninety  photographs:  twenty-one  views  of  Big  Horn  County  Canal, 
1908;  seventeen  views  of  Thermopolis  Hot  Springs,  1907;  three  views 
of  Green  River  and  Cottonwood  Canal;  six  views  of  Hammitt  Canal, 
1909;  twelve  views  of  Lakeview  Canal,  1917;  twenty-five  views  of 
Hanover  Canal,  1909;  seven  views  of  Shell  Canal,  1909. 

Logan,  Ernest  A.,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Fourteen  pictures:  two  of  In- 
dians; Cheyeiuie  after  storm  of  1878;  cowboys  on  a  roundup;  oxen 
team  in  '80 's;  John  Moorehead;  two  views  of  Logan  Store,  1892  and 
1900;  first  Presbyterian  CLurcli,  Cheyenne;  Rev.  Field  of  Presbyterian 
Church,  1893;  Mrs.  Sara  Sparahawk;  Frank  Sparahawk;  Ross  Irvin. 

Haynes,  Jack  Ellis,  Yellowstone  Park,  Wyoming — Seventeen  photographs 
of  Yellowstone  Park,  taken  by  his  father,  F.  J.  Haynes,  on  the  first 
winter  tour  of  the  Park,  January,  1887. 

Books — Gifts 

Henderson,  Harry  B.,  Sr.,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — First  Battalion,  Wyoming 
Volunteers.     1898. 

Daley,  Mrs.  W.  W.,  Rawlins,  Wyoming — Frances  C.  Carrington.  My  Army 
Life  and  the  Fort  Phil  Kearney  Massacre.     1910. 

Russell,  Dr.  Carl  P.,  Washington,  D.  C. — A  Bibliography  of  National 
Parks  and  Monuments  West  of  the  Mississipj)i  River,  Volumes  I 
and  II.     1941. 

Hazel  Hunt  Voth   and   Dr.   Carl   P.   Russell.     Yellowstone   National 
Park.     1940. 

Sheridan  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Sheridan,  Wyoming — An  Industrial 
Survey  of  Sheridan,  Wyoming.     1940-41. 

Work  Projects  Administration,  Benjamin  H.  Mcintosh,  Supervisor,  Chey- 
enne, Wyoming — Wyoming  Historical  Records  Survey,  Inventory  of 
the  County:  Archives  of  Wyoming  for  Goshen,  Laramie,  Lincoln 
and  Platte  Counties.     1941. 

Books — Purchased 

Stokes,  George  W.  and  Driggs,  Howard  R. — Deadwood  Gold;  A  Story  of 
the  Black  Hills.     1927. 

Welch,  Charles  A. — History  of  the  Big  Horn  Basin.     1940. 

Driggs,  Howard  R. — Westward  America.     1942. 


iA^nals  of  Wyoming 


Vol.  M 


July,  1942 


No.  3 


A  HISTORICAL  MAGAZINE 


Coitrtesi/  of  ClicyeiDic  Frontier  Coniiiiittce 

SIOUX  IISTDIAN  CHILDREN 

Dressed  to  partii-ipate  in  Frontier  Days  Show,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming 


Published   Quarterly 

By 

THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Chevenue,  Wvounng 


A^mls  of  Wyoming 

Vol.  14  July,  1942  No.  3 


Contents 

PIONEER  RANCH  LIFE  IN  WYOMING 169 

By  Margai'et  W.  Sackett 

DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT 179  and  220 

WYOMING  PIONEER  COUPLE,  Telling  of  Their  Life  in  the 

Early   West 180 

By  Alice  Mathews  Shields 

AND   WHAT   OF  TOUSSAINT   CHARBONEAU? 189 

ALLEN  AND  WINONA  WILLIAMS,  Pioneerst  of  Sheridan 

and   Johnson    Counties 193 

By  Jennie  Winona  Williams 
CHEYENNE   INSPIRES   EARLY-DAY'  VISITOR   TO 

WRITE   SONG 200 

ROBBERS    ROOST    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY. 203 

By  Tina  G.  Noble 

MATTHEW  DOBSON  BROWN,  Niobrara  County  Pioneer 213 

By  Malcolm   S.  Campbell 

HONORABLE  JOHN  W.  KINGMAN,  Associate  Justice  of  the 

Supreme    Court,   Wyoming   Territory 221 

WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES,  Cities  and  Towns,  Continued..... 227 

BATTLES  AND  SKIRMISHES  IN  WY^OMING 

TERRITORY^— 1853-1882 240 

VALUABLE   RELICS   PRESENTED  TO  STATE  MUSEUM 243 

ACCESSIONS  to  the  Wyoming  Historical  Department 247 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

SIOUX  INDIAN  CHILDREN,  Dressed  to  Participate  in  Frontier 

Days  Show,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming Front   Cover 

WYOMING    STATE    MUSEUM— 1942 168 

MR,  AND   MRS.  WILLIAM   SCANLON 181 

TOMBSTONES  OF  TOUSSAINT  CHARBONEAU  AND  HIS  WIFE, 
MARIE  L.  LAVIOLETTE,  St.  Stephen's  Cemetery, 
Eiehwoods,  Missouri 190 

MR.  AND  MRS.  ALLEN  WILLIAMS 194 


Published  Quarterly  by 

THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Clieyenne,  Wyoming 


The  State  Historical  Board,  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board 
and  the  State  Historical  Department  assumes  no  responsibility  for  any 
statement  of  fact  or  opinion  expressed  by  contributors  to  the  ANNALS 
OF  WYOMING. 


The  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department  invites  the  presentation 
of  museum  items,  letters,  diaries,  family  histories  and  manuscripts  of 
Wyoming  citizens.  It  welcomes  the  writings  and  observations  of  those 
familiar  with  important  and  significant  events  in  the  State's  history. 

In  all  ways  the  Department  strives  to  present  to  the  people  of  Wyo- 
ming and  the  Nation  a  true  picture  of  the  State.  The  historical  maga- 
zine, ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  is  one  medium  through  which  the 
Department  seeks  to  gain  this  objective.  All  communications  concerning 
the  ANNALS  should  be  addressed  to  Mrs.  Gladys  F.  Riley,  Wyoming 
Historical  Department,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming. 


This  magazine  is  sent  free  of  charge  to  all  State  Officials,  heads  of 
State  Departments,  members  of  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board, 
Wyoming  County  Libraries  and  Wyoming  newspapers. 

It  is  published  in  January,  April,  July  and  October.  Subscription 
price,  $1.00  per  year;  single  copies,  35c. 


Entered  as  second-class  matter  September  10,   1941,   at  the  Post  Office   in  Cheyenne, 
Wyoming,  under  the  Act  of  August  24,   1912. 


Copyright,    1942,    by   the   Wyoming   Historical   Department. 


STATE  HISTORICAL  BOARD 

Nels    H.    Smith,    President Governor 

Lester  C.  Hunt Secretary  of  State 

Wm.  "Scotty"  Jack State  Auditor 

Mart  T.  Christensen State  Treasurer 

Esther  L.  Anderson      ....      Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 
Gladys  F.  Biley,  Secretary      ....      State  Librarian  and  Historian 


STATE  HISTORICAL  ADVISORY  BOARD 


Mrs.  Mary  Jester  Allen,  Cody 

Frank  Barrett,  Lusk 

George  Bible,  Rawlins 

Mrs.  T.  K.  Bishop,  Basin 

C.  Watt  Brandon,  Kemmerer 

J.  Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee 

Struthers  Burt,  Moran 

Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byron,  Sheridan 

Mrs.  G.  C.  Call,  Af  ton 

Oliver  J.  Colyer,  Torrington 

J.  L.  Cook,  Sundance 

Mrs.  Esther  Crook,  Fairview 

William  C.  Deming,  Cheyenne 

Mrs.  Robert  Douglas,  Newcastle 

Dr.  William  Fi-ackelton,  Sheridan 

Paul  Fi-ison,  Ten  Sleep 

E.  A.  Gaensslen,  Green  River 

Hans  Gautschi,  Lusk 

Burt  Griggs,  Buffalo 

G.  R.  Hagens,  Casper 

R.  H.  Hall,  Lander 

Jack  Haynes,  Yellowstone  Park 

D.  B.  H 


L.  B.  Howard,  Rock  Springs 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hunter,  Gillette 
Mrs.  Joseph  H.Jacobucci,  Green  River 
P.  W.  Jenkins,  Big  Piney 
E.  V.  Knight,  Laramie 
W.  C.  Laurence,  Moran 
E.  A.  Logan,  Cheyenne 
Howard  B.  Lott,  Buffalo 
Mrs.  Eliza  Lythgoe,  Cowley 
R.  E.  MacLeod,  Torrington 
James  L.  Mcintosh,  Split  Rock 
A.  J.  Mokler,  Casper 
Mrs.  Elmer  K.  Nelson,  Laramie  • 
L.  L.  Newton,  Lander 
R.  I.  dinger,  Newcastle 
Charles  Oviatt,  Sheridan 
Mrs.  Minnie  Reitz,  Wheatland 
E.  B.  Shaffner,  Douglas 
Mrs.  Effie  Shaw,  Cody 
Mrs.  Tom  Sun,  Rawlins 
John  Charles  Thompson,  Cheyenne 
Russell  Thorp,  Cheyenne 
ilton,  Sundance 


STAFF  PERSONNEL 

OF 

THE   WYOMING   HISTORICAL   DEPARTMENT 

AND 

STATE  MUSEUM 


Gladys  F.  Riley,  Editor 
Lola  M.  Homsher,  Co-Editor 


State  Librarian  and   Historian 
Assistant  Historian 


WYOMING  STATE  MUSEUM— 1942 


Housed  in  the  new  Supreme  Court  and  Library  Building  in 
Cheyenne,  with  vault  space  and  fireproof  protection,  the  Mu- 
seum provides  for  the  preservation  and  display  of  the  prized 
possessions  of  Wyoming  pioneers. 

Perpetuate  your  family  name  by  placing  your  historical 
collections  and  relics  in  your  State  Museum,  where  they  may 
be  permanently  preserved  and  enjoyed  by  the  thousands  of 
visitors. 

Everything  that  is  presented  to  the  Museum  is  numbered, 
labeled,  recorded  and  card  indexed,  thus  insuring  permanent 
identification. 


Pioneer  Kanch  Cife  Jn  Wyoming 

By  Margaret  W.  Sackett^:= 

The  last  frontier,  the  last  range  of  the  buffalo,  the  last  stand 
of  the  Indian  were  all  in  the  "Lajid  of  the  Powder."  To  the 
east  were  the  Sioux  in  Dakota ;  to  the  northwest,  the  Crows  and 
the  Cheyennes  in  Montana.  Powder  River  lay  between.  It  is 
true,  the  Indians  made  the  whole  West  their  home  but  the  tribes 
which  fought  Custer  hunted  the  Powder  River  country  between 
the  Black  Hills  and  the  AVolf  and  the  Big  Horn  Mountains 
where  Midwest,  Kaycee,  Buffalo,  Big  Horn  and  Sheridan  now 
stand.  It  was  here  that  Custer  and  his  men  in  the  early  sum- 
mer of  1876  were  wiped  out.  Custer  was  one  of  the  most  fearless 
generals  in  the  United  States  Army.  In  the  Civil  War  he  never 
lost  a  battle,  but  in  his  last  struggle  with  the  Indians  he  did  not 
realize  the  power,  unity  and  generalship  of  these  northern  In- 
dians. The  Redskins  were  in  their  natural  haunts — mountain, 
river  and  ravine  aiding  them. 

It  was  after  the  Custer  Battle  that  the  government  took 
hold  of  the  Indian  situation  and  forced  them  into  small  reser- 
vations. However,  not  until  six  years  later  did  it  succeed  in 
quieting  the  menace.  The  Reds  rebelled  at  restriction  after  their 
unhampered  rovings.  Enraged,  they  would  gather  up  their 
bands  here  and  there  and  return,  bent  on  plundering,  torturing, 
burning,  killing  and  in  every  way  wreaking  vengeance  on  the 
white  man. 

One  pioneer,  then  living  in  the  Big  Horn  settlement,  tells 
me  of  seeing  over  five  hundred  in  one  band  maneuvering  in  prep- 
aration for  an  attack  to  recover  some  of  their  lost  territory. 
These  Redskins  were  not  smiling  and  they  were  not  garbed  in 
peacetime  raiment.  Their  bodies  were  covered  with  warpaint 
and  they  wore  nothing  but  a  breech  clout  and  moccasins.  Thongs 
went  through  their  horses '  mouths  with  only  a  strip  of  raw  hide 


^BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Margaret  W.  Sackett  was  born  in 
Warsaw,  Indiana,  July  30,  1888,  tlie  daughter  of  J.  F.  and  Martha  Woods. 
In  July  1912,  she  came  to  Wyoming  and  resided  in  Sheridan  where  she 
met  Carl  L.  Saekett,  to  whom  she  was  married  May  1,  1914.  at  Warsaw. 
They  have  one  son,  Carl  L.  Saekett,  Jr.,  who,  as  a  reserve  officer,  has 
joined  the  armed  forces  of  the  United  States  to  take  part  in  the  present 
conflict. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sackett  resided  in  Sheridan  until  1933,  at  which  time 
he  was  appointed  U.  S.  District  Attorney  for  Wyoming,  and  the  family 
moved  to  Cheyenne  to  make  their  home.  However,  they  still  hold  exten- 
sive ranching  interests  in  Johnson  County.  Mrs.  Sackett  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Chevenne  Woman's  Club  and  Chapter  C  of  the  Wvoming 
P.E.O.   Sisterhood.  " 


170  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

encircling  the  ribs  so  the  riders  could  slip  on  either  side  and 
shoot  from  any  angie.  The  wartime  eagle  feather  adorned  the 
tails  of  their  horses.  These  were  the  nnpacified  victorious  braves 
of  the  Custer  Battle,  the  Cheyennes  and  Sioux  under  Sitting 
Bull,  who  were  returning  from  Canada.  Word  was  rushed  to 
headquarters  of  their  maneuvers  and  before  these  tribes  had 
time  to  attack,  General  Sheridan  and  his  men  arrived  and  took 
them  to  their  reservations.  Except  for  this  timely  interference 
there  would  have  been  massacred  many  pioneers  in  that  vicinity 
who  are  now  living  and  whose  names  are  familiar  to  us.  The  last 
ounce  of  lead  in  this  little  community  had  been  run  into  bullets 
as  they  prepared  to  meet  the  attack  of  these  Indians. 

Between  1868  and  '75,  the  government  spent  over  eight 
million  dollars  clothing  and  feeding  the  Sioux. 

At  this  early  date  the  settlers  in  this  area  were  just  starting 
to  come,  while  the  southern  part  of  "Wyoming  had  been  more 
rapidly  assuming  shape.  The  Union  Pacific  Railroad  was  fin- 
ished in  1869  and,  at  the  end  of  each  terminal,  towns  had  sprung 
up  overnight.  In  this  way,  Cheyenne,  Laramie,  Rawlins,  Green 
River,  Rock  Springs  and  Evanston  were  founded.  The  priva- 
tions and  dangers  in  this  portion  of  the  state,  though  extreme 
enough,  were  not  so  hazardous  as  the  nearness  of  the  railroad 
lessened  the  possibility  of  actual  want,  and  the  number  of  towns 
and  outposts  where  all  kinds  of  supplies  and  provisions  were  to 
be  obtained  gave  settlers  a  greater  feeling  of  security.  In  case 
of  Indian  raids  the  immigrants  were  oftimes  rushed  to  nearby 
forts  and  other  protective  stations  until  the  soldiers  could  quiet 
any  uprising.  Cheyenne  was  then,  and  continued,  throughout 
the  period  of  the  pioneer,  to  be  the  bright  center  of  all  ranch, 
military  and  social  life.  It  was  the  meeting  place  of  men  of 
high  principle  and  noble  purpose,  but  it  was  also  the  rendezvous 
of  men  who  recognized  neither  conscience  nor  morals. 

It  was  after  Custer's  battle  and  the  end  of  the  Indian  peril 
that  real  immigration  got  under  way.  Settlers  came  in  droves 
as  word  passed  throughout  the  country  that  here  was  a  paradise, 
a  land  of  quick  fortune,  of  tall,  waving  grass  for  cattle,  streams 
of  gold,  mountains  and  plains  full  of  every  kind  of  wild  life. 
The  future  seemed  bright  for  both  the  real  homeseeker,  whose 
ambition  it  was  to  grow  up  with  the  country,  and  for  the  rich 
speculator,  who  saw  in  the  untrodden  spaces  a  possibility  to 
treble  his  money.  But  getting  into  this  trackless  region  was 
quite  another  problem  to  be  reckoned  with. 

The  real  homeseeker  had  made  his  decision.  With  his 
staunch-hearted  wife  to  help  him,  he  would  never  concede  failure. 
Only  the  barest  necessities  of  life  were  crammed  into  the  cov- 
ered wagon.  They  might  have  brought  a  milk  cow  with  them, 
some  chickens  and  a  few  cattle  with  which  to  start  a  herd.    Be- 


PIONEEE  EANCH  LIFE  IN   WYOMING  171 

hind  probably  followed  several  mule-drawn  freight  wagons  filled 
with  indispensable  provisions  and  other  frontier  supplies.  Some- 
times they  would  reach  their  destination,  but  too  often  they 
would  be  overtaken  by  Indians  and  either  brutally  tortured, 
killed  or  robbed  of  all  they  possessed.  Their  livestock  many 
times  were  "spooked"  by  the  Reds  or  driven  away  by  cattle 
thieves.  Blizzards,  heavy  snows  and  hard  winters  would  delay 
them  and  their  provisions  would  be  exhausted  so  that  their  only 
recourse  lay  in  trading  their  cows  or  mules  for  food.  With  few 
or  no  bridges  in  the  country,  there  were  swollen  rivers  to  ford 
and  steep  grades  for  the  teams  to  pull.  Sometimes  it  would  take 
twenty  mules  to  pull  one  wagon  up  an  ascent,  and  in  order  to 
safely  reach  the  bottom  of  the  grade  trees  would  have  to  be  cut 
and  fastened  on  behind  even  though  the  wheels  had  already  been 
rough-locked.  When  these  unfortunate  ones  came  to  the  end  of 
the  trail,  they  had  little  with  which  to  start  a  home,  much  less 
a  ranch.  Even  though  their  liA^estock  was  gone  and  their  larder 
empty,  health  and  courage  and  constant  faith  in  God  would  show 
the  way. 

The  greatest  number  sought  the  Pow^der  River  country  in 
northern  Wyoming  where  the  grass  was  most  abundant.  As 
Struthers  Burt  says  in  his  book.  Powder  Fiver :^ 

"This  story  of  Powder  River  is,  in  reality,  the  story  of 
grass.  The  search  for  it.  The  fight  for  it.  The  slow  disappear- 
ance of  it.  Grass,  that  strange  green  thing  which  covers  the 
earth  and  without  which  man  cannot  live  and  the  color  of  which, 
the  secret  of  life  itself,  is  still  as  much  a  mystery  to  man  as  when 
he  first  saw  it.  Bluestem,  buffalo  grass,  slough  grass,  bunch 
grass;  miles  and  miles  of  it,  up  to  the  horses'  withers." 

Not  alone  was  there  grass  for  these  settlei*s ;  there  were 
mountain  streams  for  irrigation  and  the  fertile  valleys  for  their 
planting.  There  were  pioneers  in  different  sections  of  Wyoming 
sharing  like  interests  and  like  hardships,  but  the  community 
with  which  I  have  had  direct  contact  is  in  this  Powder  River 
country. 

As  the  settlers  came,  they  would  occasionally  be  fortunate 
enough  to  find  an  abandoned  shelter  hut  which  might  have  been 
built  by  a  trapper  or  soldier  gone  before.  This  they  would  use 
until  their  own  simple  house  was  ready.  These  roughly-built 
dAvellings  usually  consisted  of  one  room,  possibly  ten  feet  square, 
and  would  sometimes  have  to  house  large  families.  The  roofs 
and  floors  were  of  dirt  with  only  one  window  whicli  was  hung 
with  most  anything  to  keep  out  the  cold.  Some  of  the  floors 
were  covered  with  gunny  sacks  sewed  together,  stretched  over 
the  dirt  and  pegged  at  the  corners  to  be  removed  for  washing 
when   necessary.      There   were   always   port   lioles   on   all   sides 

1.     Page  1. 


172  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

through  which  to  shoot  Indians  in  ease  of  attaek.  Cooking  was 
done  over  the  open  fireplace  in  Dutch  ovens,  frying  pans  and 
camp  kettles.  Food  consisted  chiefly  of  buffalo  meat,  deer  and 
other  wild  game,  beans,  corn  bread  and  such  wild  fruit  as  could 
be  obtained  in  the  summer  at  which  time  it  was  most  plentiful. 
Having  no  jars  in  which  to  preserve  fruit  for  winter  use,  the 
housewife  would  cook  the  fruit  to  the  consistency  of  thin  paste, 
put  it  through  a  sieve  and  dry  the  mixture  on  large  platters  be- 
fore the  open  fire  until  it  was  like  leather.  These  flat  cakes  were 
then  hung  from  the  roof  beams  to  be  taken  down  when  needed, 
boiled  with  water  and  sweetened  sometimes  with  brown  sugar. 
Jelly  glasses  were  made  by  heating  an  iron  ring  red  hot,  dropping 
it  over  the  necks  of  beer  bottles  down  to  the  shoulders.  This 
cracked  the  necks  of  the  bottles  all  around  evenly,  and  any  sharp 
edges  were  smoothed  off'  with  a  file. 

Even  when  thousands  of  cattle  covered  the  hills  these  pio- 
neers had  neither  a  drop  of  fresh  milk  nor  a  pound  of  butter. 
It  sometimes  happened  that  for  weeks  at  a  time  they  would  be 
snowed  in  and  unable  to  get  provisions.  One  woman  had  to 
grind  wheat  in  her  little  coffee  mill  to  have  flour  to  make  bread, 
and  I  talked  to  an  aged  mother  who  kept  her  family  from  real 
hunger  by  cooking  the  rind  off  bacon  slabs  which  they  had  been 
using  to  grease  the  necks  of  their  horses.  This  food  shortage, 
however,  would  apply  generally  to  the  real  tenderfoot,  who  had 
not  yet  learned  to  hunt  or  shoot,  and  when  wild  game  was  the 
principal  article  of  diet  this  inexperience  would  sometimes  work 
a  great  hardship.  The  men  who  were  hunters  always  had  some 
kind  of  game,  either  freshly  killed  or  jerked,  which  is  prepared 
much  the  same  as  our  dried  beef  is  now.  Many  times,  however, 
game  would  be  the  only  food  they  would  have  for  days,  with  the 
exception  of  occasional  corn  bread  or  biscuits. 

With  every  frontiersman's  gun  was  a  reloading  outfit  which 
included  powder,  lead,  bullet  molds,  ladle  for  melting  the  lead, 
primers,  etc.  The  children  of  these  frontiersmen  cannot  remem- 
ber when  they  learned  how  to  use  this  reloading  equipment  or 
when  they  learned  how  to  care  for  and  use  a  rifle.  In  these 
things  the  women  were  likewise  trained,  as  well  as  the  men.  It 
was  not  a  matter  of  sportsmanship,  it  was  a  matter  of  necessity, 
both  for  defense  and  for  food. 

When  sickness  came  to  these  people,  they  had  nothing  but 
home  remedies ;  when  children  were  born,  thej'  had  no  doctors ; 
when  teeth  were  extracted,  bullet  molds  were  used  for  forceps. 
There  was,  in  the  community  of  which  I  am  speaking,  no  church 
closer  than  fifty  miles,  but  the  fact  that  everyone  went,  regard- 
less of  distance  and  the  discomforts  of  travel,  showed  how  devout 
and  prayerful  many  of  these  early  settlers  must  have  been. 
Privations  only  drew  them  together.     Not  only  did  hardships 


PIONEER  RANCH  LIFE  IN   WYOMING  173 

come  to  these  homemakers ;  there  were  pleasures  and  many  of 
them,  simple  though  they  were.  They  loved  the  great  outdoors 
and  when  spring  came,  with  all  its  lovely  green,  and  they  seeded 
the  fresh  new  earth,  their  hearts  were  filled  with  contentment. 
I  have  often  talked  with  a  friend  whose  childhood  memories  have 
never  yet  faded.  To  her,  she  said,  the  little  homesite  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountains  will  always  be  a  shrine.  With  no  outside  diver- 
sion, these  communities  had  to  make  their  own  entertainments. 
Neighbors  would  come  a  great  distance  and  at  none  of  their 
gatherings  would  there  be  more  enthusiasm  than  on  the  Fourth 
of  July.  To  them  it  wasn  't  a  day  of  fireworks.  It  was  a  day 
of  reverence  and  patriotism.  Pride  and  joy  filled  the  heart  of 
the  school  child  who  was  chosen  to  read  the  Declaration  of 
Independence. 

The  first  school  in  what  is  now  Sheridan  County  was  held 
on  the  W.  E.  Jackson  place  in  Big  Horn.  It  was  a  little  hut 
eight  feet  square  with  dirt  roof,  dirt  floor  and  one  tin}-  window 
covered  with  a  gunny  sack  which,  regardless  of  wintry  blasts, 
was  pushed  back  for  light  when  the  children  wanted  to  read. 
All  the  pupils  sat  on  a  bench  in  front  of  the  open  fireplace.  Their 
only  books  were  those  brought  by  the  pioneers.  It  was  here  that 
my  husband  learned  his  ABC's  and  it  was  here  that  Jesse  James, 
the  notorious  outlaw  of  early  days,  hid  from  his  pursuers. 

Not  only  did  the  severity  of  the  winters  test  the  endurance 
of  these  people  but  the  summers  took  their  toll  as  well.  There 
was  drought  and  there  were  prairie  fires.  George  Benton,- 
a  preacher  who  lived  in  the  valley,  almost  killed  a  pair  of  mules 
Avhile  running  from  a  prairie  fire  which,  in  one-half  hour,  swept 
from  the  present  site  of  Sheridan  to  Big  Horn,  a  distance  of  ten 
miles.  After  the  endless  influx  of  cattle  soon  to  come  there  never 
again  could  have  been  such  a  destruction  by  fire,  as  the  grasses 
would  never,  after  that  have  the  opportunity  to  grow  so  thick 
and  high  in  such  a  long,  unbroken  stretch. 

AVhat  few  farming  implements  the  settlers  owned  had  been 
brought  with  them  when  they  came,  and  these  were  willingly 
passed  from  one  neighbor  to  another.  Some  few  cut  their  hay 
by  hand.  Discouragements  confronted  them  in  the  tilling  of  the 
soil  and  the  harvesting  of  their  grain,  but  to  those  who  eventually 
succeeded  these  obstacles  must  have  acted  only  as  a  spur  to 
greater  endeavor.  Starting  life  as  they  did  with  only  the  meagre 
necessities  of  life,  it  took  years  to  accumulate  worldly  goods  and 
to  see  a  handful  of  cattle  increase  to  a  profitable  herd.  As  in 
every  line  of  business,  to  be  successful  it  takes  health,  perse- 
verance, temperance  and  tenacity  of  purpose.  Some  young  men. 
physically  fit  and  financially  unhampered,  were  failures ;  others 
who  started  out  with  nothing  save  a  sterling  character  met  with 


2.     See  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  April  1942,  p.  lOS. 


174  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

brilliant  success.     Out  of  thousands  of  cowboys,  there  arose  one 
Kendrick. 

It  is  true  that  Wyoming  in  her  infancy  had  many  robbers, 
killers,  gamblers  and  cattle  thieves,  as  is  usualh^  the  case  in  the 
settling  of  new  territory,  but  it  is  equally  true  that  never  in  the 
history  of  any  country  were  there  finer  or  more  honorable  men 
than  those  who  fought  the  adversities  that  confronted  them. 

"Buckskin  Johnnie" 

There  is  one  frontiersman  who  possessed  so  many  of  these 
admirable  qualities  typical  of  the  real  w^estern  gentleman  that  I 
want  to  BRy  a  word  in  his  memory.  His  name  was  John  Spaniel- 
ing but  I  always  think  of  him  as  ' '  Enoch  Arden  of  the  Plains. ' ' 
Together  with  a  small  party  of  gold  seekers,  he  came  to  this 
country  from  Wisconsin  Avhen  he  was  but  twenty  years  old. 
Behind  him  he  left  a  sweetheart  who  loved  him  and  who  prom- 
ised to  follow  w^hen  he  had  made  a  home  for  her  in  the  West. 
There  came  also  with  this  little  party  another  j^oung  man  who 
loved  this  girl.  While  on  their  way  to  the  Black  Hills,  Spaukling 
became  ill  with  what  in  those  days  was  called  mountain  fever. 
His  condition  grew  so  serious  that  he  could  not  keep  up  with 
the  party.  Fearing  the  Indians  might  be  in  that  vicinity,  the 
party  went  on,  leaving  him  delirious  and  alone  to  die.  Jack 
Sackett,  who  was  hunting  buffalo  in  that  section,  chanced  to 
find  him.  He  carried  him  home  and  all  that  winter  nursed  him. 
He  gave  him  strong  tea  made  from  white  sage,  which  has  the 
same  medicinal  qualities  as  quinine ;  he  gathered  the  green  twigs 
and  tender  shoots  from  the  creek  and  mixed  them  with  the  mar- 
row from  wild  game. 

All  that  winter  deep  snows  fell  and  no  mail  came  through, 
but  John  Spaulding  had  written  letters  to  his  sweetheart  when 
he  became  ill  and  he  knew  she  would  understand.  His  rival, 
however,  saw  to  it  that  these  letters  were  never  delivered.  In- 
stead the  message  w^as  carried  back  that  her  lover  had  been 
killed  by  the  Indians.  In  the  early  spring,  as  soon  as  he  could 
get  to  the  nearest  outpost,  Spaulding  went  for  his  mail.  He 
found  letters  from  her.  She  begged  for  word  from  him,  hoping 
to  find  untrue  the  report  that  he  had  been  killed.  As  he  stood 
there  reading  her  letters,  he  heard  someone  beside  him  telling 
the  story  of  a  man  named  Spaulding  who  had  been  killed  by  the 
Indians  and  whose  sweetheart  had  just  married  his  rival.  What 
one  might  expect  a  young  man  to  do  as  he  heard  this  report  was 
not  what  John  Spaulding  did.  Unselfish  to  a  fault,  he  realized 
that  to  reveal  his  identity  would  heap  grief  and  remorse  upon 
the  one  he  loved.  lie  spoke  of  his  sorrow  to  no  one  except  his 
friend  Jack,  and,  dropping  the  name  of  Spaulding,  he  became 
"Buckskin  Johnnie."    For  months  he  was  on  the  verge  of  losing 


PIONEER  RANCH  LIFE  IN  WYOMING  375 

his  reason,  mourning  as  did  Lincoln  mourn  over  his  Anne  Rut- 
ledge. 

Fifty  years  passed  and  he  never  married.  He  still  longed 
and  waited,  for  what  he  did  not  know.  But  he  learned  one  day, 
through  someone  who  knew  his  secret,  that  the  husband  of  his 
loved  one  had  died,  and  he  learned  also  that  she  had  never  ceased 
yearning  for  the  one  who  for  so  many  years  had  been  lost  to  her. 
On  his  way  to  California,  where  they  were  to  be  married,  he 
stopped  at"  our  home  in  Sheridan.  Never  shall  I  forget  the  love 
and  joy  that  shone  in  his  kindly  eyes  as  he  talked  of  the  happi- 
ness, not  that  which  had  been  denied  him  through  the  long  lonely 
years,  but  the  happiness  which  awaited  him,  even  though  he  was 
then  in  the  closing  years  of  his  life. 

In  the  wild  and  reckless  days  of  Buffalo  Bill,  many  daring 
and  hazardous  feats  were  performed  in  this  western  arena  which 
history  attributes  to  Buffalo  Bill  but  which,  in  truth,  were  ac- 
complished by  this  Buckskin  Johnnie.  He  would  modestly  retire 
to  the  background,  preferring  it  to  glory.  People  knew  him  as 
one  of  the  best  shots  in  the  West.  One  day  a  crowd  gathered 
round  a  marksman  of  the  buffalo  trails  who  was  boasting  of  his 
unbeaten  record.  Buckskin  Johnnie  was  urged  to  compete  with 
him,  and  he  finallj^  consented  to  do  this  if  the  other  man  would 
fire  the  first  shot.  This  was  clone,  and  after  each  shot  fired  at 
the  target  by  his  competitor,  Spaulding  would  hit  a  spot  pre- 
cisely the  same  distance  from  the  bull's  eye  only  on  the  opposite 
side.  It  was  neither  his  intention  nor  his  wish  to  break  the 
champion's  record,  yet  his  superior  skill  couldn't  be  questioned. 

In  the  stirring  days  of  '76  the  government  needed  scouts  to 
help  take  the  immigrant  trains  through  the  new  area,  and  Spauld- 
ing knew  the  country  as  well  as  the  Sioux.  He  once  led  to  safety 
a  train  of  sixty-three  wagons  through  dangerous  Indian  coun- 
try, and  many  times  he  preceded  troops  through  hazardous  sec- 
tions where  sharp-shooting  was  required. 

Indian  Menace  Subdued  and  Ranches  Emerge 

These  scouts  were  buffalo  hunters  too.  He  told  us  of  one 
instance  when,  with  his  field  glasses,  he  saw  a  solid  landscape 
of  what  he  estimated  to  be  five  hundred  thousand  head  of  tliese 
bison.  When  a  party  of  buffalo  hunters  would  start  out  the  ones 
in  front  on  the  horses  would  kill  the  aninuils,  cut  off'  the  heads 
and  put  them  on  high  places  so  the  wagons  following  could  see 
the  trail  and  pick  up  the  animals.  There  were,  on  Powder  Eiver, 
herds  of  them  sufficient  to  feed  all  the  Indians  at  the  time  of 
the  Custer  Battle.  Four  years  later,  in  1880,  Edward  Burnett,^ 
an  Ena-lish  vouth,  saw  near  old  P^'ort   Reno  on  Powder  River 


3.     Now  of  Buffalo,  Wyoming. 


176  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

stacks  of  what  he  thought  were  cordwood.  He  was  riding  with 
Dave  Cummings,  an  old  buffalo  hunter,  and  he  said  to  him, 
"Why  has  all  this  cordwood  been  piled  up  for  miles  and  miles 
and  abandoned?"  Whereupon  Dave  took  him  closer  and  Bur- 
nett saw  that  what  he  had  thought  was  cordwood  were  in  reality 
buffalo  hides  stacked  up,  thousands  upon  thousands  of  them. 
When  the  water  was  high  in  the  spring,  they  were  rafted  down 
to  the  Yellowstone  where  they  were  put  on  boats  for  St.  Louis. 

But  the  days  of  the  buffalo  were  numbered  and  there  were 
many  reasons  for  this.  From  an  economic  standpoint  the  buffalo 
was  vastly  inferior  in  value  for  all  purposes  to  domestic  cattle. 
The  one  had  to  go  to  provide  grazing  for  the  other.  The  buffalo 
had  been  the  life-blood  of  the  Indian.  These  herds  were  just  so 
many  provision  depots  for  the  marauding  tribes,  and  to  destroy 
them  was  one  way  of  fighting  the  Redskins.  In  two  years  three 
million  head  were  killed  and  the  meat  left  to  rot.  The  skins 
were  sold  for  one  dollar.  When  the  buffalo  were  taken  from  the 
Indians,  they  were  revengeful  toward  the  white  man.  In  one 
locality,  the  remains  of  a  thousand  head  of  cattle  were  wantonly 
butchered  by  these  Reds,  killed  not  for  meat  but  for  pure  malice. 
Tongues  were  cut  out,  some  were  killed  for  the  hearts  and  others 
for  the  brains.  It  totaled  a  loss  to  the  government  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars. 

The  white  man,  on  the  other  hand,  might  have  been  shock- 
ingly cruel  at  times  too.  Moreton  Frewen,'*  one  of  the  English 
noblemen  who  loved  Wyoming,  when  in  Palo  Duro  Canyon  saw 
a  grim  reminder  of  man's  wanton  inhumanity  as  trustee  of  the 
buffalo  host.  This  canyon,  a  vast  fissure  in  the  strata  of  the 
Stake  Plains,  is  in  places  two  thousand  feet  sheer.  In  one  spot 
off  these  cliff's,  he  came  upon  many  thousands  of  carcasses  of 
buffalo  which  had  been  driven  over  the  precipice  from  the  plains 
above  so  that  the  chiefs  of  the  Comanche  Tribe  below  might 
enjoy  the  sight  of  the  great  bodies  hurling  through  space — a 
savage  and  brutal  form  of  sport.  Frewen,  describing  his  perilous 
trip  across  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  made  in  the  last  two  weeks  in 
December,  tells  of  using  a  herd  of  three  thousand  buffalo  for  a 
living  snow  plow  to  break  a  trail  through  the  deep  snow  over  the 
mountain  to  Powder  River  Valley. 

Even  in  1880,  however,  the  buffalo  were  not  all  killed.  Some 
years  later  a  herd  of  them  was  seen  by  Lyman  Brooks^  in  the 
country  where  Sheridan  now  stands.  Lord  Frewen  killed  a 
magnificent  specimen  in  his  front  dooryard  as  late  as  1886. 

The  Indian  menace  suppressed,  the  buffalo  practically  ex- 


4.  For    biography    see    ANNALS    OF   WYOMING,    April    1940,    pp. 
87-89. 

5.  Early  day  cattleman  and  business  man  of  'Sheridan,  Wyoming.    For 
further  information  see  Progressive  Men  of  the  State  of  Wyoming,  p.  324. 


PIONEER  RANCH  LIFE  IN  WYOMING  177 

terminated,  Wyoming  was  heralded  as  the  Eden  of  the  West. 
"To  begin  with,  men  had  thonght  her  future  was  beaver,  then 
for  a  long  while  they  had  thought  it  gold,  neither  of  them 
homemaking  businesses,  suddenly  they  realized  that  it  was  beef- 
steak on  the  hoof,  and  that  the  gold  lay  on  the  surface  of  the 
ground  in  the  shape  of  mountain  and  prairie  grasses.  Gold  that 
waved  in  the  wind  and  turned  brown  in  the  fall. '  ''^ 

By  the  late  '70 's  there  began  that  mad  scramble  to  get  into 
the  business  that  culminated  in  a  wild  boom.  Men  came  from 
every  walk  of  life :  bankers,  merchants,  farmers,  young  men  just 
out  of  college  whose  fathers  were  willing  and  able  to  establish 
them  in  business,  men  who  knew  something  about  the  cattle 
business  and  men  who  knew  nothing  about  it  at  all.  It  }iever 
seemed  to  occur  to  anyone  that  there  might  be  a  limit  to  the  num- 
ber of  cattle  these  Wyoming  ranges  would  support.  There  was 
plenty  of  grass,  the  government  was  asking  little  or  nothing  for 
the  land  and  there  was  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  for  shipping 
the  cattle,  three  things  to  make  the  business  a  paying  proposi- 
tion. No  one  knows  just  when  the  first  Texas  trail  herds  came 
to  Wyoming.  The  trickle  of  cattle  suddenly  turned  into  a  flood. 
In  1871,  five  hundred  thousand  Texas  longhorns  crossed  the  Red 
River  in  Texas  headed  north  for  Wyoming,  a  mere  handful  com- 
pared to  the  millions  which  came  later. 

It  would  be  a  mistake  to  think  that  the  influx  of  people 
during  this  cattle  rush  was  made  up  entirely  of  speculators,  for- 
tune hunters  and  land  grabbers.  Many  came  because  they  really 
loved  the  country  and  wanted  to  make  permanent  homes  in  Wyo- 
ming. The  lure  of  Powder  River  had  reached  far  into  foreign 
ports.  People  from  other  lands  were  eager  to  get  away  from 
the  old  country.  They  had  a  great  desire  to  become  a  living- 
part  of  this  new,  vigorous  and  undeveloped  land.  From  Scot- 
land came  the  Malcolm  Moncreiffes,'^  who  settled  at  the  foot  of 
the  Big  Horns  and  who  are  still  there.  From  England  came 
Oliver  Wallup,  the  Earl  of  Portsmouth,  and  from  England  also 
came  Frewen  who  ran  sixty  thousand  head  of  cattle  in  the 
Powder  River  Valley  and  organized  the  Powder  River  Cattle 
Company.  To  him  this  country  was  not  only  a  haven  for  cattle 
but  a  paradise  for  the  sportsman.  Here  he  built  his  ranch  home, 
not  the  simple  one-room  type,  but  the  Frewen  Castle,  as  it  was 
known  for  years,  where  he  entertained  many  of  the  Lords  and 
Ladies  of  England.  John  B.  Kendrick  said  the  finest,  fattest 
steers  he  saw  in  the  early  days  were  those  of  Moreton  Frewen 's. 

The  life  of  the  "Open  Range,"  that  is  to  say  before  the 
advent  of  the  barb  wire,  when  cattle  were  turned  loose  on  the 
ranges,  with  no  thought  of  preparing  feed  for  winter,  when  they 


6.  Burt,  Poivder  Eiver,  p.  205. 

7.  Rancher  at  Big  Horn,  Wyoming. 


178  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

were  handled  entirely  by  a  system  of  roundups,  was  comparative- 
ly short  and  certainly  spectacular  while  it  lasted,  ending  in  a 
calamity  and  financial  disaster  rarely  seen  in  any  line  of  human 
endeavor.  The  causes  which  brought  about  this  unexpected  mis- 
fortune were  many,  any  one  of  which  would  have  finally  landed 
the  business  on  the  rocks.  Men  were  buying  and  selling  cattle 
' '  book  account "  or  "  range  delivery. "  That  business  men  should 
so  far  lose  sight  of  ordinary  methods  as  to  buy  and  sell  cattle 
"without  counting  a  cow,"  with  no  way  of  ascertaining  how 
many  cattle  they  were  paying  for  except  by  the  seller's  "tally 
books,"  is  almost  beyond  belief.  Thousands  of  cattle  changed 
hands  in  this  fashion,  involving  many  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  dollars.  Although  the  cost  of  land  and  cattle  were  cheap, 
there  were  many  avenues  through  which  were  drained  the  cow- 
man's profits.  There  were  hard  winters,  cattle  rustlers,  claim 
jumpers,  prairie  fires,  stampedes  caused  by  wolves,  coyotes  and 
bears  and  Indians  and  thieves  who  would  intentionally  turn  a 
docile,  sleeping  herd  into  a  frenzied  mass.  Sometimes  the  mad- 
dened cattle  ran  into  deep  ravines,  swollen  rivers  and  quick- 
sand. A  stampede  would  quickly  take  the  fat  off  an  animal  and 
with  the  fat  went  the  profit.  In  many  cases  the  stock  were  in- 
tentionally driven  into  the  herd  of  the  cattle  thief. 

All  these  unfortunate  occurrences  led  to  the  cattle  war 
which  was  waged  during  these  years  of  theft  and  disorder.  The 
movement  of  great  herds  was  needlessly  delayed  if  some  crooked 
foreman,  for  any  advantageous  reason  of  his  own,  chose  to  pre- 
vent branding  until  some  of  the  cattle  might  be  craftily  trans- 
ferred to  his  or  other  herds.  Many  of  this  type  of  man  were 
hurriedly  dispatched,  for  the  majority  of  these  rustlers  were 
never  brought  to  court.     They  were  either  shot  or  hung. 

When  the  hordes  of  cattle  were  brought  into  our  state,  they 
were  often  not  properly  located  before  winter,  and  such  stock, 
being  unfamiliar  with  the  ranges,  did  not  know  where  to  go  to 
find  food  and  shelter  Vi^hen  it  stormed.  In  '86  a  parching  sum- 
mer came.  No  hay  was  put  up.  Winter  brought  blizzards  and 
with  them  the  deepest  snow  on  record.  This  was  followed  by 
a  Chinook  which  melted  the  top  of  the  heavy  snow,  and  the  tem- 
perature, sliding  down  below  zero,  immediately  froze  it  into 
sheets  of  ice,  leaving  absolutely  nothing  the  stock  could  reach 
to  eat.  Thousands  upon  thousands  of  cattle  starved  or  were 
smothered  as  they  stumbled  into  the  deep  snows  of  the  coulees 
and  ravines.  A  mournful  array  of  figures  only  partly  told  the 
story  of  the  winter  tragedy.  The  spring  thaws  disclosed  thou- 
sands of  carcasses.  Skeletons  and  staring  skulls  were  harvested 
by  agents  of  fertilizer  factories. 

Many  of  the  cowmen  who  really  knew  the  stock  business 
weathered  the  catastrophe  of    '86  and  have  been  instrumental 


PIONEER  RANCH  LIFE  IN  WYOMING  179 

in  restoring  the  cattle  business  and  placing  it  on  a  sound  basis. 
Stock  associations  were  formed,  brand  books  were  published  and 
better  laws  were  put  on  the  statute  books.  The  range  became 
divided  with  fences,  to  reserve  for  the  different  seasons  of  the 
year  suitable  pasture  for  the  stock.  There  was  hay,  too,  for 
winter  use  whenever  necessary.  In  fact,  there  came  out  of  chaos 
a  well-organized,  safe  and  workable  system  of  ranching  and 
cattle  raising.  Many  of  the  beautiful  pioneer  ranch  holdings 
are  still  among  the  most  delightful  places  in  the  West. 

It  seems  incredible  that  the  present  development  of  "Wyo- 
ming has  not  even  spanned  the  lives  of  many  of  her  truly  western 
pioneers.  A  great  number  of  them  are  slipping  away,  one  by  one, 
but  in  every  section  of  the  state,  there  are  still  familiar  faces  of 
those  whose  loyalty,  wisdom  and  perserevance  did  so  much  to- 
ward the  upbuilding  of  our  western  frontier. 


DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT— 

The  first  professional  dramatic  performers  to  appear  in 
Wyoming  arrived  in  Cheyenne  in  1867,  sixty  days  before  the 
Union  Pacific  reached  the  town  ?  The  town  itself  was  then  only 
three  months  old  and  the  first  issue  of  the  town's  newspaper, 
the  Cheyenne  Leader,  announced  the  troupe  with  comment,  "A 
general  desire  to  witness  theatrical  performances  renders  their 
arrival  verv  welcome  just  noAv."  {Wyoming  Trihune,  Julv  22, 
1941.) 

According  to  historians,  "the  most  important  action"  of 
the  first  Wyoming  State  Legislature  which  convened  in  the  fall 
-of  1890  was  the  election  of  two  United  States  Senators,  Joseph 
M.  Carey  and  Francis  E.  Warren?  (Beard,  Wyoming  from  Ter- 
ritorial Days  to  the  Present,  p.  477.) 

Laramie  was  the  first  place  in  Wyoming  Territory,  and 
probably  in  the  known  world,  where  the  Woman  Suffrage  Act 
or  anything  similar  was  put  in  force?  On  IMareh  7,  1870,  Hon. 
J.  H.  Howe,  Chief  Justice,  presiding,  handed  down  a  decision 
that  women  might  serve  on  the  grand  jury,  whereupon  those 
women  who  had  been  called  for  duty  were  tried  and  sworn  in. 
Associate  Justice  J.  W.  Kingman  concurred  with  this  decision. 
(Triggs,  History  and  Directory  of  Ijoramie  City,  Wyo))iing  Ter- 
ritory, p.  47.) 

The  first  irrigation  in  Wyoming  on  the  Platte  Tviver  is 
known  to  have  been  in  1855  at  Fort  Laramie  where  the  Spanish 
people  ditched  water  of  the  river  to  their  gardens?  {Wi/oniing 
Eagle,  July  29,  1938,  p.  1,  section  2.) 


WYOMING  PIONEER  COUPLE 

Telling  of  Their  Life  in  the  Early  West 

By  Alice  Mathews  Shields* 

William  Scaiilon  and  Mrs.  Scanlon  not  only  witnessed  the 
advancement  of  civilization  into  the  western  plains  country,  but 
they  played  a  vital  role  in  that  accomplishment. 

Sixty-four  years  have  elapsed  since  William,  a  boy  of 
twenty,  enlisted  in  the  United  States  Army  and  left  New  Eng- 
land for  the  West  to  do  battle  with  the  Indians. 

He  had  worked  as  a  chore  boy  for  several  years  on  a  dairy 
farm  near  Boston.  Later  he  was  employed  in  the  Douglas  Shoe 
Factory  where  thrilling  stories  of  Indian  warfare  being  waged 
"out- west"  sifted  in  with  the  cowhide  from  which  he  fashioned 
shiny  new  shoes.  The  stories,  blazing  with  adventure,  took  root 
in  his  young  mind  and  he  soon  overcame  his  original  desire  to 
be  a  Boston  factory-man. 

His  father,  Irish  Jeremiah  Scanlon,  had  ventured  to  America 
in  1848.  His  mother,  Mary  Sheehan,  also  possessed  the  blood  of 
adventurers,  she  having  come  to  Boston  from  Scotland  the  same 
year.  It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  William  too  should  want 
to  explore  the,  as  yet,  not  well  known  West. 

Young  William,  born  in  February  1858,  was  seven  when 
his  mother  died  and  left  his  father  with  four  sons  and  a  daughter, 
Hannah,  age  nine.  Martin,  Daniel  and  Thomas  were  younger. 
Hannah  tried  in  her  childish  manner  to  mother  her  little  brothers. 
"But,"  William  Scanlon  said  in  his  eightieth  year,  "the  death 
of  our  mother  was  the  cause  of  many  hardships  for  us  children. '  ^ 

Eventually,  came  the  close  of  a  warm  April  day  and  the  blast 
of  the  whistles  to  signify  ' '  quitting-time ' '  for  the  factory  work- 
ers. Young  Bill  Scanlon  laid  down  his  leather  tools  for  the  last 
time  and  with  his  fellow  workers  tiled  out  into  the  dank  air  of 
the  coast  town.  When  he  walked  through  the  big  exit  door  of 
the  Douglas  Shoe  Factory,  he  left  behind  him  forever  the  ob- 
noxious smell  of  hides  passing  through  the  process  of  tanning,  as 
well  as  the  clean  fresh  smell  of  finished  leather  which  he  had 
learned  to  aptly  select  according  to  grade. 

Immediately  after  his  enlistment  in  the  United  States  Army, 
1878,  he,  with  a  friend  by  the  name  of  Pearsoll,  were  ordered  to 
Fort  Laramie,  Wyoming  Territory,  one  of  the  most  famous  In- 
dian forts  in  the  West,  where  he  was  assigned  to  Company  C,. 
Third  Cavalry.     The  old  fort,  located  on  the  fork  of  the  North 


*NOTE:  This  is  the  third  article  on  ^yyoming  pioneers  by  Mrs. 
Shields  which  has  been  published  in  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING.  A 
biographical  sketch  of  the  author  appears  in  the  January  1941  issue  on 
page  58. 


WYOMING  PIONEEE  COUPLE 


181 


Platte  and  the  Laramie  Rivers  and  about  fifty  miles  east  of 
Laramie  Peak,  owed  its  origin  in  1834  to  AYilliam  Sublette,  Rob- 
ert Campbell  and  Thomas  Fitzpatriek,  Avho  built  a  small  stockade 
on  the  site  as  a  trader's  fort  and  protection  from  roving  bands  of 
Indians.  The  American  Fur  Company,  through  Jim  Bridger,  fa- 
mous frontiersman,  came  into  possession  of  the  fort  in  1835.  The 
fort  was  reconstructed  and  soon  became  a  trading  post  where  the 


WILLIAM    SCANLON 
(1858-1941) 


MRS.   WILLIAM   SCANLON 
(1863-  ) 

Cheyennes,  Pawnees,  Crows,  and  later  the  Sioux,  gladly  traded 
a  buffalo  hide  for  a  hunting  knife  or  its  equivalent,  or  for  a 
drink  of  whiskey.  The  Government  purchased  the  fort  in  1849 
and  installed  a  garrison,  and  for  almost  a  half  century  it  con- 
tinued to  be  the  objective  point  and  rendezvous  of  trappers, 
gold  seekers,  immigrants  and  Indians  alike.  For  years  the  old 
fort  was  the  only  spot  of  refuge  for  hundreds  of  miles  along  the 
Oregon  Trail  to  California.  Its  natural  A'antage  point  covered 
an  expansive  view  of  the  endless  plains  which  rolled  back  to 
the  horizon  in  great  Avaves  of  virgin  prairie  until  it  became  a 
part  of  the  sky.    The  enormity  of  the  silent  space  made  a  lasting 


182  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

impression  on  the  boy  from  Boston  town  and  it  was  then  his 
strong  fascination  for  the  open  country  took  seed. 

After  about  a  year's  stay  at  Fort  Laramie,  Company  C, 
Third  Cavalry  was  ordered  to  Fort  Robinson,  Nebraska,  to  quell 
marauding  Indians  in  that  vicinity.  They  were  soon  at  war 
with  the  Sioux  who  were  being  led  by  Chief  Dull  Knife.  Twenty 
men  of  Company  C  lost  their  lives  in  a  skirmish  at  the  present 
site  of  Chadron,  Nebraska.  Forty-five  or  fifty  Sioux  were  killed 
before  they  retreated  to  the  hills.  After  a  short  time  Company 
C  was  ordered  back  to  Wyoming  Territory,  and  the  cavalrymen 
headed  their  mounts  across  the  trackless  prairie.  A  few  land- 
marks in  the  terrain  and  the  sun  as  it  rose  and  set  in  the  sky 
directed  their  course.  They  paused  in  their  march  only  long 
enough  to  rest  and  graze  their  horses  and  to  take  food  and  a 
stretch  for  themselves.  Frequently  they  sighted  bands  of  In- 
dians on  fleet  ponies  w^ho  were  either  on  the  war  path  or  on  the 
hunt.  Herds  of  buffalo,  larger  than  Bill  Scanlon  had  ever 
dreamed  of,  roamed  the  plains  and  like  great  moving  acres  of 
dark  earth  they  splotched  the  otherwise  continuous  green.  As 
quickly  as  the  human  scent  "was  picked  up,  the  herd,  at  the 
signal  of  the  lead  animal,  moved  off  at  top  speed  until  lost  to 
sight  behind  a  great  hump  in  the  plains.  The  rumbling  of  the 
thousands  of  hoofs  as  they  struck  the  hard  sod  was  like  the 
rolling  of  thunder. 

However,  the  buff'alo  meat  cooked  in  a  Dutch  oven  made 
a  welcome  meal  for  the  soldiers,  and,  in  spite  of  all  possible 
danger,  the  troopers  were  weary  and  ready  for  sleep  when  night 
came. 

Finally,  C  Company  reached  Fort  D.  A.  Russell  (Fort 
Warren)  near  Cheyenne.  The  chief  order  of  duty  for  the  Com- 
pany was  a  campaign  against  the  Bannocks,  Cheyennes  and 
Sioux.  Marauding  bands  were  constantly  making  life  hazardous 
for  stage  coach  travelers,  lone  ranchers  and  immigrant  trains. 

The  most  bloody  fight  in  which  William  Scanlon  took  part 
was  at  Bluff  Station  (stagecoach)  near  the  present  site  of  Hat 
Creek,  Wyoming,  on  the  Cheyenne-Deadwood  stage  line,  and 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  north  of  Cheyenne.  He  said, 
"The  fight  occurred  on  the  ninth  day  of  January  1879 — a 
bitterly  cold  day.  Some  Sioux  Indians  whom  we  had  captured 
and  put  in  jail  at  Fort  Robinson  had  killed  their  guards  and 
escaped.  We  found  afterwards  that  the  squaws  had  smuggled 
guns  in  their  clothing  when  we  put  them  in  jail.  We  went  to 
the  hills  after  the  fugitives  and  found  them  ready  for  us,  hidden 
from  view,  in  a  buffalo  wallow  from  which  they  opened  fire. 
They  refused  to  surrender  and  every  last  one  of  them,  including 
the  squaws,  was  killed.  We  lost  several  soldiers  and  many  others 
were  wounded. ' ' 


WYOMING  PIONEEE  COUPLE  183 

Later  the  Third  Cavalry  with  other  troops  from  Fort  Russell, 
together  with  troops  from  Fort  Laramie,  were  ordered  to  the 
Ute  Indian  uprising  after  the  Thornburg  Massacre  on  the  White 
River  in  Colorado  (on  the  south  central  border  between  Colorado 
and  Wyoming).  "We  traveled  by  rail,  in  box  cars  and  flat  cars 
as  far  as  Rawlins,  Wyoming, ' '  he  explained.  ' '  We  then  mounted 
and  rode  to  the  White  River  country.  Major  Thornburg  and 
twelve  of  his  command.  Company  E,  Third  Cavalry,  had  been 
killed  and  forty-seven  wounded  three  or  four  days  before  we 
arrived  there.  The  Utes  had  left  the  Meeker  Reservation  where 
they  had  murdered  Meeker,  the  Government  agent,  and  then 
stolen  his  wife.  We  finally  captured  the  renegades  and  then 
herded  the  tribe  to  Uinta  Reservation  in  Utah. 

Referring  to  the  soldier's  life  when  on  the  march  in  the 
frontier  country  he  recalled  that  the  regulation  supply  of  food 
was  hardtack,  bacon  and  black  coffee.  On  some  occasions  when 
his  Company  w^as  on  long  marches  across  the  high  plains  it  was 
necessary  to  partake  sparingly  of  their  water  supply  which 
was  carried  in  quart  canteens.  They  ate  and  slept  irregularly  and 
only  when  the  opportunity  arrived.  When  they  happened  to  be 
where  wild  game  was  plentiful  they  feasted,  but  there  were 
times,  when  in  sparsely  vegetated  areas,  that  they  were  not  so 
fortunate.  He  told  of  one  winter  when  the  Company  was  in 
the  Little  Missouri  River  region,  out  of  meat,  and  could  find  no 
game.  "We  killed  a  young  mule,"  he  said,  "and  the  meat 
tasted  very  much  like  beef."'  He  was  certain  that  almost  every 
man  who  had  soldiered  on  the  frontier  had  eaten  mule  or  horse 
meat  at  one  time  or  another. 

After  recounting  the  Indian  fights  of  so  many  years  ago, 
Mr.  Scanlon  was  pleased  to  tell  of  other  phases  of  Indian  life 
,as  he  had  known  it.  He  told  of  often  visiting  the  Sioux  at  the 
Pine  Ridge  and  Rosebud  Reservations.  Chief  Red  Cloud  was 
the  big  chief  of  the  Ogalala  Indians ;  Chief  Spotted  Tail  was  the 
big  chief  of  the  Brules.  Both  tribes  were  of  the  Sioux  Nation. 
Their  villages  were  usually  located  on  the  banks  of  a  creek  or 
river.  Before  the  Government  took  charge  of  the  Indians  they 
made  their  wigwams  of  animal  skins,  but  those  who  lived  on  the 
reservations  used  regulation  canvas  tents.  Circular  in  form, 
the  tents  measured  about  fifteen  feet  across  at  the  bottom  with 
an  opening  at  the  top  where  the  poles,  used  to  brace  the  tents, 
stuck  out.  The  opening  also  served  as  a  chimney.  The  fire  hole 
was  dug  directly  beneath  the  "chimney"  in  the  center  of  the 
tent  enclosure,  and  the  Indians  sat  around  the  fire,  ring  fashion, 
for  warmth  and  to  watch  the  kettle  boil.  In  nice  weather  the 
meals  were  cooked  in  the  open.  A  good  fat  dog  was  the  choice 
delicacy,  and  when  Bill  Scanlon  saw  such  a  feast  being  prepared 
for  the  pot  over  the  fire  he  knew  he  was  to  be  an  invited  guest. 


184  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

He  said  that  it  would  have  been  a  gross  insult  to  the  Indian  to 
refuse  to  eat  dog  with  him.  When  the  puppy  was  well  cooked, 
everj^one  sat  around  the  kettle  and  helped  himself.  A  forked 
stick  sometimes  was  used  to  pick  out  a  choice  piece,  but  the 
hand  was  more  dependable  and  a  lot  quicker.  Plates  were 
unheard  of  and  the  fuigers  replenished  a  helping  quite  often. 
Wild  berries  and  fruits  which  grew  in  the  vicinity  constituted 
the  dessert. 

The  white  boy  learned  enough  about  the  different  Indian 
languages  to  hold  a  conversation.  He  remembered  a  familiar 
greeting  was  "How  cooliil"  He  said  he  could  not  remember 
ever  seeing  an  Indian  buck,  or  warrior,  laugh  or  cry,  and  insisted 
that  if  an  Indian  had  any  emotional  sense  whatever,  no  one 
ever  knew  it  but  himself.  He  would  stand  and  stare  with  a  face 
of  stone,  unless  angered,  when  he  would  reach  for  some  object 
to  use  as  a  weapon.  HoAvever,  the  Indian  dance,  often  difficult 
to  interpret,  is  designed  to  give  complete  expression  of  emotion. 

The  squaws  were  often  seen  crying  and  would  easily  become 
hysterical.  An  Indian  boy,  when  found  crying,  was  belittled 
and  humiliated  by  the  braves  who  would  call  him  a  squaw,  a 
disgrace  of  the  worst  kind. 

The  Medicine  Man  was  an  absolute  necessity  in  every  Indian 
village,  and  he  attended  to  almost  all  of  their  needs.  He  had  a 
tent  or  tepee  which  he  used  for  his  patients.  He  would  heat  a 
great  pile  of  rocks  and  stack  them  around  inside  the  tent.  The 
patient  was  placed  in  the  center  of  the  intensely  hot  rock  orbit 
and  left  there  until  he  had  thoroughly  sweated.  The  friends 
of  the  patient  would  then  dance  and  chant  the  devil  spirit  out 
of  the  sick  man.  The  sweat  bath  often  effected  a  cure,  but  in 
ease  he  died  he  was  taken  to  the  burial  gi-ound,  a  clump  of 
trees  at  a  distance  from  the  village.  The  corpse  was  wrapped 
and  bound  in  a  skin,  tied  securely  with  rawhides  and  placed 
on  a  rack  of  cross-sticks.  It  was  then  hoisted  high  and  tied 
between  two  trees. 

Mr.  Scanlon  said  that  he  had  secretly  examined  the  burial 
places  and  found  that  the  corpse  was  supplied  with  his  pipe, 
kinnikinic  (tobacco),  his  favorite  hunting  knife,  and,  if  he  had 
a  favorite  dog  or  pony,  they  were  killed  and  placed  at  the  foot 
of  the  tree  so  that  his  spirit  might  not  be  without  these  necessary 
appointments  in  the  happy  hunting  ground. 

Chief  Spotted  Tail  had  three  wives  at  that  time.  He  was 
a  likable  Indian  and  the  Government  had  allowed  him  a  fine 
phaeton  and  a  team.  Mr.  Scanlon  remembered  the  picture  he 
made  driving  into  the  Agency  with  his  triple  matrimonial  alli- 
ance, roly-poly  in  structure  and  garish  in  calico  and  beading. 
The  Chief  was  killed  by  an  enemy  warrior,  Crow  Dog,  in  1879. 

C  Company,  Third  Cavalry,  was  ordered  to  Fort  Thomas 


WYOMING  PIONEER  COUPLE  385 

on  the  Grila  River,  Arizona  Territory — just  north  of  Phoenix — 
in  1882.  They  were  sent  into  the  field  against  the  Apache  In- 
dians, a  most  warlike  tribe  who  mingled  with  the  Mexican 
Indians.  The  Cavalrymen  were  detailed  to  the  Mogollon  Mesa 
to  hunt  down  a  warring  band  of  the  most  treacherous  type. 

''It  was  a  running  chase — the  Apaches  were  never 
mounted."  said  the  former  cavahyman.  "Five  of  our  boj^s 
were  killed  before  we  took  a  single  prisoner.  Finally  we  cap- 
tured fifteen  warriors,  but  only  after  a  hard  fight. ' '  He  referred 
to  the  old  expression,  "You  can  run  like  an  Apache  Indian," 
and  remarked,  "That  is  well  said,  for  I  have  never  seen  anyone 
run  like  an  Apache  can.  There  was  one  squaw  who  often  ran 
all  the  distance  from  Fort  Thomas  to  San  Carlos  Reservation 
and  back  again,  a  stretch  of  at  least  fifteen  miles  each  way.  She 
traveled  at  a  dog-trot  pace."  He  explained  that  the  home  of 
the  desert  Indians  was  out  in  the  open  the  year  around  with 
only  a  shed-like  structure  with  a  brush  roof  to  protect  them 
from  the  sun,  which  probably  accounted  for  the  robust  condition 
of  the  tribe. 

It  was  at  Fort  Thomas  that  the  young  soldier  received  his 
army  discharge,  February  1,  1883,  and  he  said  of  army  life,  ' '  The 
army  training  was  the  best  thing  that  could  have  happened  to 
me  as  a  boy." 

Following  his  discharge,  he  took  the  train  from  Fort  Thomas 
to  Wyoming  and  soon  secured  work  with  A.  H.  Reel,  cattleman 
and  raiser  of  fancy  horses,  in  Cheyenne.  He  lived  with  the 
Reel  family  at  their  home  on  the  corner  of  AVarren  Avenue  and 
Sixteenth  Street,  or  what  is  now  the  Lincoln  Highway,  and 
was  alwavs  fii-m  in  his  commendation  of  Mr.  Reel,  mavor  of 
Cheyenne  1885-1887. 

Ellen  (Nellie)  Clancy 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Cheyenne,  AVilliam  Scanlon  met 
Nellie  Clancy  who  was  later  to  become  his  wife. 

Miss  Clancy  was  the  third  child  of  James  and  Mary  (Poe) 
Clancy.  She  was  born  in  Canada  on  August  -l,  1863.  Her 
mother  and  her  father  had  come  to  Canada  from  Ireland  when 
they  were  quite  young.  It  was  not  kno^m  whether  they  were 
acquainted  in  their  native  land,  but  their  children  had  often 
heard  them  telling  of  their  crossing  on  the  same  vessel.  They 
made  their  first  home  on  a  farm  near  Lukiu,  Ontario,  Canada, 
where  their  children,  ]\Iartin,  ]\Iary  and  Ellen  (Xellie).  were 
born. 

The  young  farmer  and  his  wife  received  such  attractive 
reports  from  their  friends  in  the  United  States  that  they  decided 
to  become  citizens  of  the  Republic.  After  a  few  years  time  they 
posted  an  auction  sale  and  disposed  of  their  livestock  and  farm- 


186  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

ing  implements.  The  little  family  then  boarded  a  long  bobsled 
and  were  carried  over  the  snow  to  the  railroad  station  where 
they  entrained  for  Chicago,  U.S.A.  Nellie,  then  fonr  years 
old,  vaguely  remembers  the  little  farm  house  built  of  logs  and 
the  old  stone  well  with  a  heavy  wooden  bucket  where  her  father 
would  draw  water  and  pour  it  into  the  kitchen  waterpail.  From 
Chicago  the  family  traveled  b}^  train  to  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  The 
thriving  little  town  on  the  fork  of  the  Sioux  and  the  Missouri 
Rivers  was  their  home  for  a  short  time.  There  the  father  worked 
at  the  builders'  trade,  but  farming  was  his  natural  pursuit,  and 
he  longed  to  get  back  to  working  in  the  soil.  After  a  while  he 
filed  a  homestead  claim  on  a  quarter  section  of  land  (one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acrek)  in  northwestern  Iowa,  Sioux  County. 
Again  he  loaded  his  family  and  their  belongings  into  a  regula- 
tion emigrant  wagon,  drawn  by  oxen,  and  set  out  for  their  new 
home.  Milch  cows  tied  to  lead  behind  the  wagon  furnished 
fresh  milk  for  the  children  who  were  allowed  to  walk  and  play 
along  the  road  when  it  suited  their  fancy.  Soon  the  little  girl's 
only  recollection  of  Sioux  City  was  the  vivid  picture  of  the  long 
rows  of  lampposts  and  their  lights  twinkling  in  the  dark.  Mrs. 
Scanlon  did  not  remember  just  how  long  they  were  in  making 
the  approximately  hundred  mile  journey,  but  it  is  generally 
understood  that  an  oxteam  travels  at  the  rate  of  about  eight 
miles  a  day. 

The  family  made  the  wagon  their  home  until  logs  to  build 
their  house  could  be  cut  and  hauled  from  the  timberland.  The 
children  carried  water  for  their  mother's  use  in  her  household 
duties  from  a  little  river  known  as  Rock  Creek  which  flowed 
through  the  farm.  They  also  gathered  driftwood  from  the  stream 
for  her  to  burn. 

Fortunately,  Mrs.  Clancy's  sister,  Margaret,  who  had  mar- 
ried Mr.  Clancy's  brother,  Martin,  lived  on  a  farm  near  at  hand, 
and  their  five  children  were  the  companions  in  work  and  in  play 
of  the  three  James  Clancy  children. 

After  establishing  his  family  on  the  farm  the  father  returned 
to  Sioux  City  where  he  continued  with  his  work  in  the  building 
trade.  Young  Martin,  age  fourteen,  was  left  in  charge  of  the 
farming.  The  prairie  soil  was  first  turned  with  a  plow  and 
then  the  planting  of  corn  and  potatoes  was  done  with  the  hoe. 
The  mother  tended  to  her  vegetable  garden,  flowers,  chickens  and 
ducks.  Many  terrifying  stories  about  the  Indians  kept  the 
children  always  on  the  lookout  and  induced  them  to  practice  at 
hiding  from  the  savages.  Their  favorite  and  secret  liiding  place 
was  in  the  corn  fields. 

The  two  families  of  cousins  were  the  only  children  to  attend 
the  little  country  school  a  mile  and  a  half  away,  to  which  the 
children   walked   carrying   their   noon   lunches.      Although   the 


WYOMING  PIONEEE  COUPLE  187 

winters  were  cold,  and  plodding  through  the  deep  snow  was 
quite  a  hardship,  they  were  elated  when  the  sun  came  out  and 
thawed  the  drifts  just  a  little  on  top.  This  froze  again  into  a 
hard  crust  at  night,  and  they  could  have  great  fun  running  along 
on  top  of  the  huge  snow  drifts,  for  all  the  world  like  giant 
frosted  cakes. 

True  to  the  life  of  the  pioneer  in  the  ^Middle  West,  the  first 
year's  crop  was  bountiful,  but  the  second  year  the  ambitious 
farmers  were  besieged  with  great  hordes  of  grasshoppers.  So 
dense  were  the  clouds  of  flying  insects  that  the  light  of  the  sun 
was  darkened  and  everything  growing  in  their  paths  was  de- 
voured. The  corn  was  stripped,  the  trees  were  bared  of  their 
leaves  and  all  other  vegetation  disappeared.  Even  the  sheets, 
which  the  mother  in  her  anxiety  had  spread  over  her  precious 
flowers,  were  eaten  by  the  hoppers. 

The  third  year  was  a  repetition  of  the  second.  In  great 
disgust  the  father  traded  the  land  to  another  farmer  who  wished 
to  try  his  luck  against  the  odds,  and  the  Clancys  moved  back 
to  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  to  live.  It  was  there  that  the  seven  youngest 
children  of  the  large  Clancy  family  were  born :  ]\Iichael,  Ger- 
trude, James,  Teresa,  Martha,  John  and  William. 

In  1882,  the  father  secured  employment  with  the  Union 
Pacifle  Railroad,  which  accounted  for  the  Clancy  family's  set- 
tling in  Cheyenne,  AVyoming. 

Nellie  cared  for  children  in  some  of  the  older  families  in 
Cheyenne.  She  mentioned  in  particular  being  in  the  home  of 
the  late  United  States  Senator  from  Wyoming,  Francis  E.  War- 
ren. His  daughter,  Frances  W^arren,  who  later  became  the  wife 
of  General  Pershing,  was  one  of  Nellie  Clancy's  charges.  It 
was  Mrs.  Pershing  who  met  a  tragic  death  when  she  and  her  three 
small  daughters  lost  their  lives  in  a  fire  at  Presidio,  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  in  1915. 

NeUie  Clancy  and  William  Scanlon  Wed 

Three  years  after  William  Scanlon  left  the  army,  he  and 
Miss  Nellie  Clancy  were  married.  Their  wedding  took  place 
on  July  16,  1886,  in  Cheyenne  at  the  old  Catholic  Church,  which 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Nineteenth  Street  and  Carey  Avenue. 

Nellie  Clancy  was  good  with  the  needle,  and  before  her 
wedding  day  came  she  had  many  pretty  things  made  and  ready 
to  use  in  housekeeping.  There  were  crazy  quilts,  curtains, 
towels,  rugs  and  many  other  dainties  that  belong  in  a  bride's 
chest,  not  forgetting  her  wedding  dress,  a  piece  of  which  she 
carefully  preserved  for  over  a  half  century.  It  was  a  lovely 
wine  silk,  and  she  described  the  pattern  in  detail,  not  missing 
a  tuck  or  a  fold. 

"It  was  a  tight  fitting  basque,  trimmed  with  folds  running 


188  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

lip  and  down  the  front  which  was  buttoned  with  steel  cut  bronze 
buttons  running  from  the  top  of  the  high  neck  to  the  bottom  of 
the  pointed  basque.  The  sleeves  were  long,  leg-o-mutton.  The 
skirt  was  full  and  ankle-length  and  had  three  ruffles  at  the 
bottom,  each  one  edged  with  a  fold  of  the  same  material,  and 
wdth  an  overskirt  which  fell  to  the  top  of  the  ruffles.  I  wore 
Mgh  buttoned  shoes,  and,  of  course,"  she  added,  ''many  petti- 
coats. My  hat  was  summer  straw,  trimmed  with  ribbons  and 
flowers."  The  bride  of  many  years  ago  was  small  and  must 
have  been  very  dainty.  Her  dark  eyes  gave  proof  of  the  becom- 
ingness  of  the  wine  silk  wedding  gown. 

In  recalling  the  day  of  her  w^edding,  Mrs.  Scanlon  said, 
"I  never  worked  harder  in  my  life.  We  served  fried  chicken 
all  day  long,  and  then  danced  in  the  evening  to  the  tune  of 
Steve  Hall's  fiddle." 

The  young  couple  made  their  first  home  on  East  Sixteenth 
Street,  Cheyenne,  in  the  two  hundred  block.  It  was  there  that 
their  three  children  were  born  to  them:  William  Jr.,  deceased 
in  1935 ;  Margaret,  Mrs.  Hector  Marti,  a  widow  now  residing 
in  Los  Angeles,  and  Stella  of  Cheyenne. 

William  Scanlon  entered  the  employ  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Kailroad  Company  in  1888  and  served  the  Company  in  various 
capacities.  His  last  position  was  that  of  Station  Master  in  the 
Cheyenne  terminal.  He  retired  in  1929  after  having  served 
the  Company  for  forty  years.  He  was  a  charter  member  of 
the  Union  Pacific  Old  Timers'  Club  and  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus  Order.  Although  he  was  nearing  eighty 
at  the  time  he  so  willingly  talked  of  his  life  in  the  West,  he  was 
robust  and  alert,  and  his  quick  wit  made  it  possible  for  him  to 
see  the  humorous  side  of  life.  He  lived  to  be  eighty-three  years 
old  and  is  survived  by  Mrs.  Scanlon  and  his  two  daughters. 

Mrs.  Scanlon  took  an  active  part  in  the  Altar  and  Rosary 
Society  for  many  years  when  she  was  a  young  woman.  She  also 
was  a  member  of  the  Ladies  Auxiliary  of  the  Union  Pacific  Old 
Timers'  Club.  She  and  her  daughter  Stella  live  in  her  home 
at  1912  Central  Avenue,  Cheyenne,  where  the  family  have  lived 
for  the  past  twenty-five  years. 

The  couple  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  anniversary  in 
1936  after  living  the  entire  period  of  their  married  life  in 
Cheyenne.  It  was  their  privilege  to  see  the  growth  of  the  little 
railroad  town  from  its  infancy  to  its  present  status  of  little 
metropolis  of  the  plains. 


AUTHOR'S  NOTE— Information  for  the   above   sketch  was  gained 
through  interviews  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scanlon. 


AND   WHAT   OF  TOUSSAINT   CHARBONEAU? 

One  of  the  elusive  figures  in  the  pages  of  history,  who  helped 
shape  the  destiny  of  our  nation  and  played  the  role  of  an  ad- 
vance guard  for  the  hordes  of  adventurers,  seekers  of  wealth  and 
homemakers  trekking  to  the  West  in  the  not  too  distant  past,  was 
Toussaint  Charboneau,^  official  interpreter  for  the  Lewis  and 
Clark  Expedition  1805-6.  While  a  great  deal  has  been  written 
on  the  life  of  Sacajawea,  Shoshone  Indian  woman,  very  little  is 
known  of  her  French  husband,  and  much  that  has  been  written 
concerning  him  is  contradictory.  Historians  in  general  agree 
upon  two  points — they  do  not  know  where  the  last  years  of  his 
life  were  spent  or  where  he  was  buried. 

Upon  reading  Sacajawea,  A  Symposium,  in  the  ANNALS 
OF  WYOMING,  July  1941,  Mr.  A.  L.  Brock^  of  Buffalo,  Wyo- 
ming, wrote  to  the  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department  that 
he  had  had  the  privilege  and  pleasure  of  meeting  a  granddaughter 
and  three  great  grandsons  of  Toussaint  Charboneau. 

"From  the  granddaughter  and  one  of  the  great  grandsons 
I  learned  that  in  addition  to  Charboneau 's  Indian  wives,  he 
finally  married  a  white  woman  and  went  into  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Richwoods,  Missouri.  Two  of  his  great  grandsons,  T.  C. 
Doyen  and  S.  S.  Doyen,  are  now  living  in  Johnson  County,  Wyo- 
ming. ' ' 

Aided  by  Mrs.  Jennie  Doyen^  of  Billings,  Montana,  grand- 
daughter of  Charboneau,  Mr.  Brock  compiled  the  following  in- 
formation on  the  life  of  the  famous  interpreter. 

Toussaint  Charboneau  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada,  j\Iarch 
10,  1781,  of  French  parentage.    He  was  of  average  height,  broad 


1.  Toussaint 's  name  has  been  A^arious  spelled  by  liistorians:  Cliar- 
bono,  Shabono,  Sharbono,  Charboneau,  Chaboneau,  Charbonneau,  Char- 
bonet  and  Chabonali. 

2.  Mr.  Albert  L.  Brock,  pioneer  stockgrower  and  rancher,  came  to 
Johnson  County,  Wyoming,  August  1,  1884,  from  Versailles,  Missouri. 
His  wife,  formerly  Julia  Brown,  and  son  arrived  later  the  same  year  to 
make  their  home  on  the  ranch  near  Buffalo.  Mr.  Brock  is  president  of 
the  Brock  Live  Stock  Company  and  has  led  an  active  life  in  public 
affairs,  having  served  three  terms  as  a  county  commissioner  of  Johnson 
County  and  been  twice  elected  to  the  Wyoming  Legislature.  His  present 
home  is  in  Buffalo. 

3.  Harriet  Eugenie  (Jennie)  Cliarlioueau  was  born  May  3,  1S57,  at 
Eichwoods,  Missouri,  the  daughter  of  Harriet  Delcour  and  Louis  Malette 
Charboneau,  stepson  of  Toussaint  Charboneau  and  son  of  Mario  Louise 
de  Laviolette.  On  December  27,  1872,  she  was  married  to  Charles  Joseph 
Doyen  of  Eichwoods. 

Hi  1915  she  moved  to  Wyoming,  living  about  thirty  miles  south  of 
Buffalo  and  moving  to  Montana  in  1926  where  she  has  resided  at  Eapelje, 
Broadview  and  Billings.  She  is  the  mother  of  four  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters: William,  Cora,  Thomas,  Blanche,  Elvira,  Jess,  Geneva,  Josephine 
and  Sylvester. 


AND  WHAT  OF  TOUSSAINT  CHARBONEAU?  191 

shouldered,  weighing  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  and 
had  blue  eyes,  blond  hair  and  a  fair  complexion. 

He  and  his  four  brothers  lost  their  parents  when  very  young, 
and  Toussaint  drifted  with  the  Indians  during'  his  youth.  In  this 
way  he  learned  to  speak  seven  different  Indian  languages,  Eskimo, 
some  English  and  fluent  French.  He  traveled  between  Montreal 
and  Quebec,  along  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Rivers,  up  into 
the  North  Woods  and  far  to  the  west.  Toussaint  established 
trading  posts  near  Fort  Benton  and  on  down  the  river  to  St. 
Louis.  He  became  a  fur  trader  and  exchanged  pocket  knives, 
tobacco,  beads  and  cutting  instruments  for  furs.  It  was  on  one 
of  these  trips  that  he  met  Sacajawea,  then  about  seventeen  years 
old,  and,  some  historians  have  said,  traded  an  Indian  pony  for 
her.    She  later  became  his  wife. 

Lewis  and  Clark  on  their  expedition  west  employed  Tous- 
saint Charboneau  as  an  interpreter  and  guide.  On  several  occa- 
sions Toussaint  and  Saca,iawea  saved  the  expedition  from  being  • 
wiped  out  by  hostile  tribes.  The  party  suffered  many  hardships, 
losing  their  way  and  at  one  time  being  lost  for  seven  days,  eating 
crane  and  some  of  their  dogs.  Most  of  their  provisions  which 
they  had  cached  to  lessen  the  difficulty  of  travel  they  found  on 
their  return  trip.  Toussaint  and  Saca.jawea^  later  became  sep- 
arated and  he  went  to  St.  Louis  where  he  had  holdings. 

About  the  year  1815  Charboneau  was  married  to  Marie 
Louise  de  Laviolette  of  St.  Louis.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Francios  de  Laviolette  and  Mary  H.  LeMay,  whose  parents, 
Louis  LeMay  and  Mary  Charlotte  Le  Beouf,  made  the  first  set- 
tlement at  St.  Vincent  or  Vincennes,  Indiana,  in  1702.  Leaving 
here  because  of  the  Indians,  they  became  early  settlers  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  St.  Genevieve,  Missouri,  and  Kahokai,  Illinois. 

Charboneau  and  Marie  Louise  lived  in  St.  Louis  for  a  while 
and  then  moved  to  River  de  Pierre,  later  living  at  various  places 
along  the  Mississippi  River  while  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business  and  the  building  and  selling  of  houses.  Eventually 
they  settled  at  Riehwoods,  Missouri,  where  Marie  Louise  passed 
away  September  23,  1860,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six. 

The  last  few  yeai's  of  Toussaint  Cliarboneau's  life  were 
spent  in  darkness.  During  this  time  he  lived  with  his  stepson, 
Louis  Charboneau,  and  his  granddaughters,  ^Mrs.  Doyen  and 
Mrs.  Smith,  who  were  very  kind  to  him.  He  told  many  tales 
before  the  old  stone  hearth  on  winter  evenings  —  how  he  was 
almost  crushed  once  by  a  huge  ball  of  fire  that  went  whizzing 
past  him  in  Canada,  and  how  the  first  settlers  drove  oxen  to  St. 

4.  Sacajawea,  followina:  liei"  seim ration  from  Charbonoaii,  lived 
for  a  number  of  years  with  the  Comaiu-hes.  The  homing  instinct  led  her, 
during-  her  latter  days,  to  seek  her  own  peojile  in  the  mountains  of 
Wyoming.  She  passed  away  at  the  Shoshone  Indian  Eeservation,  Fort 
Washakie,  Wyoming,   on  April  0,   1884. 


192  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Louis  to  do  their  hauling.     He  spoke  often  of  Sacajawea,  the 
daughter  of  an  Indian  Chieftain,  who  was  once  his  wife. 

Toussaint  had  brought  from  Canada  heavy  woolen  socks 
that  went  above  the  knees,  a  cap,  a  brass  handled  pocket  knife, 
mittens,  moccasins,  an  old  English  tea  pitcher,  a  pipe,  a  cane 
and  a  heavy  tin  box  in  which  he  kept  his  money.  His  descendants 
are  still  in  possession  of  these  articles,  Mrs.  Doyen  owning  the 
tin  box.  He  passed  away  February  19,  1866,  and  lies  in  the 
Roussin  Catholic  Cemetery  at  Richwoods,  Missouri,  beside  Marie 
Louise. 

Confirmation  from  Eichwoods 

Through  the  assistance  of  Reverend  John  S.  Lyons,  Pastor 
of  St.  Stephen's  Church  at  Richwoods,  the  Wyoming  State  His- 
torical Department  has  received  pictures  of  the  tombstones  of 
Charboneau  and  Marie  Louise.  A  letter  from  him  confirms  the 
account  of  the  later  years  and  burial  place  of  Toussaint  Char- 
boneau given  by  Mr.  Brock  and  Mrs.  Doyen. 

His  letter  states,  "According  to  native  folk  here,  this  is  the 
Toussaint  Charboneau  who  was  with  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Ex- 
pedition. The  following  information  has  been  gathered  locally 
and,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  is  authentic. 

"Toussaint  Charboneau,  who  came  to  the  United  States 
from  Canada,  was  born  March  1,  1781,  and  died  February  19, 
1866.  He  is  buried  in  St.  Stephen's  Cemetery,  Richwoods,  Mis- 
souri. This  Toussaint  Charboneau  married  the  Indian  squaw, 
Sacajawea,  who  piloted  Lewis  and  Clark  on  their  expedition. 
They  had  a  son,  Baptiste,^  during  this  expedition.  Lewis  and 
Clark  brought  the  son  to  St.  Louis  and  educated  him.  He  lived 
to  be  very  old  but  never  knew  where  his  father  was  buried. 

"Toussaint  Charboneau  deserted  his  wife  and  later  married 
Marie  Louise  Laviolette  who  died  September  23,  1860,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-six  years.  She  lies  beside  him  in  St.  Stephen's  Ceme- 
tery. Old  parishioners  here  relate  that  Marie  Laviolette 's  father 
wa»  very  proud  of  the  family  name  and  enacted  a  promise  from 
his  daughter  that  she  would  never  give  up  her  family  name  even 
though  she  married.     This  promise  she  faithfully  kept,  never 

5.  Reverend  John  Roberts  of  Fort  Washakie,  Wyoming,  in  his 
article  The  Death  of  Sacajawea  in  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  July 
1941,  p.  17.5,  says,  "Baptiste,  Sacajawea 's  son,  I  knew  over  a  period  of 
some  years  up  to  his  death.  He  had  a  large  family.  Those  descendents 
now  living  are  numerous.  Baptiste  lived  on  the  reservation.  He  spent 
his  time  in  hunting,  fishing  and  selling  Indian  curios  to  supply  the  needs 
of  his  family.  His  grandchildren  and  great-grandchildren  are  living  on 
the  reservation.  Baptiste  made  his  home  about  three  miles  from  the 
Shoshone  Mission  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  (1885).  He  was  buried, 
according  to  the  ancient  custom  of  the  Shoshones,  in  the  rocks  in  a 
canyon  west  of  the  Mission  at  a  distance  of  some  seven  miles  at  the  head 
of  Dry  Creek.  From  his  rocky  grave  can  be  seen  his  mother's  resting 
place." 


ALLEN  AND  WINONA  WILLIAMS  193 

using  her  married  name  of  Charboneau — hence  the  reading  on 
the  tombstone,  Marie  L.  Laviolette",  wife  of  Toussaint  Charboneau. 

' '  Marie  Laviolette  was  a  widow  when  Toussaint  Charboneau 
married  her,  but  no  one  knows  the  name  of  her  first  husband. 
She  had  a  son  who  was  adopted  by  Charboneau  upon  their  mar- 
riage which  was  supposed  to  have  taken  place  in  Richwoods  many 
years  after  Charboneau 's  return  from  the  Lewis  and  Clark 
Expedition,  but  no  record  is  available. 

"Toussaint  was  master  of  several  Indian  languages,  learned 
from  his  first  wife,  and  he  also  spoke  French  and  English  fluent- 
ly. The  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Richwoods.  He  was 
blind  for  about  eight  vears  before  he  died. ' ' 


ALLEN  AND  WINONA  WILLIAMS 

Pioneers  of  Sheridan  and  Johnson  Counties 

By  Jennie  Winona  Williams-'^ 

Allen  Williams  was  born  March  28,  1859,  at  Shubenacadie, 
Nova  Scotia.  His  parents,  also  natives  of  that  province,  were 
Patrick  Williams  and  Mary  Ann  Wallace,  the  latter  a  descendant 
of  Sir  William  Wallace,  famous  in  Scottish  history.  Allen  Wil- 
liams was  the  eleventh  of  the  thirteen  children  in  the  family. 

At  the  age  of  twelve  he  became  self-supporting,  working  in 
a  livery  stable  for  six  dollars  a  month  for  a  year  or  so.  For  the 
next  few  years  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  and  occasionally  joined 
an  older  brother,  James,  in  cutting  and  selling  cordwood  from 
the  timberlands  near  his  home. 

His  eldest  brother,  William  Richard,  had  come  West  in  1867, 
paying  for  his  transportation  from  St.  Joseph,  ]\Iissouri,  the  end 
of  the  railroad  at  that  time,  to  Denver,  Coloi'ado,  by  driving  an 
ox  team  for  a  freight  outfit.  When  he  was  eighteen.  Allen  Wil- 
liams followed  his  pioneering  brother  to  Red  Buttes  (near  Tie 
Siding),  Wyoming,  arriving  there  on  April  22,  1877.  He  worked 
for  his  brother  for  the  first  year  or  two,  hauling  ties  for  the  first 
summer  with  seven  yoke  of  cattle,  then  freighting  that  fall  from 


*BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Jennie  Winona  Williams,  daughter  of 
the  late  Allen  Williams  and  Nona  Condit  Williams,  was  born  ^lay  13, 
1894,  near  the  present  post  office  of  Ucross,  Wyoming,  at  that  time  Vng 
Bed,  on  her  ]iare]its'  ranch.  Miss  Williams  attended  tl)e  colleiie  at  Griu- 
nell,  Iowa,  later  obtaining  her  A.B.  degree  at  the  University  of  Colorado 
and  her  M.A.  degree  at  the  University  of  Denver. 

From  June  1925,  to  March  1929,  she  was  State  High  School  Inspector 
and  in  charge  of  the  State  Placement  Bureau,  State  Department  of 
Education  at  Cheyenne,  Wyoming.  Since  1937  she  has  been  a  member 
of  the  facultv  at  Albion  State  Normal  School.  Albion,  Idaho. 


194  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Medicine  Bow  to  old  Ft.  Fetterman.  He  also  brought  about 
fifty  head  of  his  brother's  cattle  with  him  to  winter  on  the  fine 
grass  of  the  Powder  River  country.  He  spent  his  first  Wyoming 
winter  here,  chopping  and  hauling  wood  to  Ft.  McKinney/ 
which  was  then  located  on  Powder  River  at  the  mouth  of  Dry 
Fork. 


MRS.  ALLEN  WILLIAMS 
(1862-  ) 

He  returned  to  Red  Buttes  in  the  spring  and  again  freighted 
for  his  brother  until  he  had  his  foot  crushed  under  the  wheels 
of  a  freight  wagon  loaded  with  eight  to  nine  thousand  pounds. 
When  he  recovered  from  this  accident,  he  bought  a  team  of 
cattle  for  himself,  loaded  his  wagons  at  Rock  Creek  (now  Rock 

1.  As  a  result  of  General  Crook's  recommendations  following  the 
Custer  Massacre,  Cantonment  Eeno  was  established  in  the  fall  of  1876 
near  the  site  of  old  Fort  Eeno.  On  July  18,  1877,  the  location  was 
changed  to  the  north  bank  of  Clear  Creek,'  near  Buffalo,  Wyoming,  and 
on  August  30,  1877,  the  new  fort  was  named  Fort  McKinney. 


ALLEN  AND  WINONA  WILLIAMS  195 

River)  and  came  to  Ft.  McKinney,  which  had  been  moved  to 
its  present  location  (Old  Soldiers'  Home  near  Buffalo)  on  Clear 
Creek.  During  the  winter  of  1878-79  he  hauled  wood  to  Ft. 
McKinney.  The  next  summer,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he  was  put 
in  charge  of  ten  teams  (one  hundred  forty  cattle  and  their 
drivers).  In  the  fall  he  and  his  brother  shipped  their  outfits 
to  Rawlins  and  hauled  supplies  to  the  soldiers  stationed  at  White 
River,  Colorado.  This  was  a  month  or  two  after  the  outbreak 
of  the  Ute  Indians^  so  the  freighters  were  given  a  military  escort 
of  twelve  men,  but  the  trouble  was  over  before  they  arrived. 
On  the  first  trip  they  stopped  on  Lay  Creek,  famous  as  a  winter 
range  for  cattle,  to  allow  their  teams  to  recruit,  were  caught  in 
storms  and  had  to  winter  there  in  a  washout  roofed  with  canvas. 
Four  and  a  half  feet  of  snow  covered  the  ground.  Late  in  Feb- 
ruary a  foot  of  snow  fell  in  one  night,  and  they  lost  twenty  of 
their  twenty-eight  cattle.  Flour  and  dried  apples  were  the  only 
food  supplies  the  freighters  had  that  winter. 

In  all,  six  years  were  spent  freighting  during  the  summer 
and  fall,  usually  between  Medicine  Bow  or  Rock  Creek  on  the 
Union  Pacific  and  Ft.  McKinney  near  the  new  town  of  B-uffalo, 
making  three  to  five  trips  in  a  season,  but  in  the  spring  of  1882 
the  AVilliams  brothers  hauled  rock  for  the  Ames  ]\Ionument^ 
at  Sherman.  The  huge  blocks  of  granite  used  in  the  base  weighed 
several  tons  each  and  required  several  "strings"  of  cattle  to 
move  them. 

The  trips  from  the  Union  Pacific  to  Ft.  McKinney  took 
from  eighteen  to  thirty  days,  depending  on  weather  conditions. 
On  one  of  their  trips  they  were  caught  in  a  cloudburst  on  the 
Dry  Fork  of  Powder  River  and  were  six  days  going  seventeen 
miles.  It  took  forty-eight  steers  to  pull  a  wagon  carrying  nine 
thousand  pounds.  The  mud  was  so  deep  that  they  shoved  it 
ahead  of  the  wagon  boxes.  The  men  were  wet  to  the  waist  every 
day.  At  night  they  usually  slept  in  most  of  their  clothing,  some- 
times hanging  their  shirts  on  the  wagon  wheels  to  dry.  In  the 
winter  the  hea"sw  shirts  would  be  frozen  so  hard  that  the  men 
would  have  to  beat  them  over  the  wagon  wheels  before  they  could 
put  them  on. 

There  were  many  other  hardships.  The  regulation  diet  was 
bread,  mixed  in  the  top  of  the  flour  sack  and  baked  in  a  Dutch 

2.  Major  Thornburg,  leading  an  expedition  from  Fort  Steele,  Wyo- 
ming, to  the  aid  of  agent  Meeker  on  the  Indian  reservation  of  north- 
western Colorado,  was  ambushed  on  September  29,  1S79.  liy  the  Utf 
Indians.  Major  Thornburg  and  twelve  of  his  men  were  killed  and  forty- 
seven  wounded.  The  skirmish  has  since  be-ni  known  as  the  "Thornburg 
Massacre. " 

3.  A  memorial  to  Oakes  and  Oliver  Ames,  the  two  men  who  led  the 
work  in  the  construction  of  the  Union  Pacific  Eailroad.  The  monument 
is  located  on  the  old  Union  Pacific  right  of  way,  twenty  miles  east  of 
Xia  ramie. 


196  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

oven;  meat  of  the  elk,  deer  or  antelope,  killed  as  needed,  and 
occasionally  the  luxury  of  dried  apples.  Sometimes  they  ran 
out  of  flour,  which  sold  at  six  to  thirteen  dollars  a  sack,  and 
lived  for  several  days  at  a  time  on  elk  meat  alone.  When  the 
wind  was  too  strong  for  a  fire  in  the  open,  they  built  it  in  a  kettle, 
then  poured  out  the  coals  and  cooked  on  them.  The  working  day 
began  as  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  hunt  the  cattle  and 
lasted  until  they  struck  water,  often  long  after  sundown. 

The  only  railroad  in  the  territory  in  those  early  days  was 
the  Union  Pacific,  so  when  Mr.  Williams  decided  to  visit  Nova 
Scotia  in  the  winter  of  1882,  he  traveled  from  Buffalo  to  Laramie 
on  horseback  to  take  the  train. 

During  his  numerous  trips  across  the  state  he  had  been 
looking  for  a  good  place  for  a  ranch  of  his  own  and  in  the  spring 
of  1883  he  purchased  a  relinquishment  from  John  Curwins  who 
had  a  homestead  on  Piney  Creek,  twentj^-three  miles  northeast 
of  Buffalo.  He  also  filed  on  an  adjoining  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  which  he  proved  up  on  in  1893.  He  did  his  plowing  the 
first  summer  with  an  ox  team.  Oats  and  native  hay  were  the 
principal  crops,  and  these  were  sold  to  the  cavalry  at  Ft.  Mc Kin- 
ney.   Later  potatoes  were  raised  for  this  same  market. 

For  eight  years  Allen  Williams  worked  alone  on  his  ranch, 
building  ditches,  fences,  barns  and  a  one-room  log  house  which 
replaced  the  dugout,  the  only  improvement  on  the  place  when 
he  took  it  up.  His  cattle  ran  on  the  open  range  which  began  at 
"the  gate  back  of  the  barn. "  His  brand  was  666.  An  old 
account  book  under  date  of  1885  lists  thirty-four  heifers  carry- 
ing this  brand.  By  1891  the  herd  had  increased  so  that  he  was 
able  to  sell  ninety-two  head. 

On  April  eig'hth  of  this  year  he  was  married  to  Winona  B. 
Condit  of  Iowa,  who  had  been  teaching  in  Johnson  County, 
AVyoming,  for  the  past  year.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by 
the  Rev.  Jennings  of  Sheridan  at  the  George  Harper  home  on 
Prairie  Dog.  The  witnesses  were  E.  B.  Williams,  a  brother  of 
Allen  Williams,  and  Budcl  Newcomer,  his  brother-in-law. 

On  June  19,  1892,  a  son,  Claude  Asa,  was  born.  During 
this  year  Allen  Williams  expanded  his  cattle  business  by  taking 
in  his  sister's  cattle  on  shares.  This  meant  a  trek  across  the 
state,  as  Mrs.  Wallace,  the  widowed  sister,  ran  her  stock  on  Fish 
Creek  near  the  Colorado  line.  While  on  the  trip  he  visited  rela- 
tives on  the  Sweetwater  River  and  brought  back  a  thirteen-year- 
old  nephew,  Arthur  Mcintosh,  to  help  trail  the  cattle. 

In  1893  a  seven-room  log  house  was  built  near  the  present 
home  site.  On  May  13,  1894,  a  daughter,  Jennie  Winona,  was 
born,  and  on  August  13,  1896,  a  second  claughter,  Ethel  Eliza- 
beth, arrived.  In  December  1897,  the  family  moved  into  their 
present  home,  a  six-room  house  planned  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 


ALLEN  AND  WINONA  WILLIAMS  197 

liams  without  benefit  of  an  arcliitect,  built  of  native  sandstone, 
the  walls  of  which  withstood  a  fire  which  gutted  the  building  in 
May  1937. 

Another  irrigated  ranch  was  added  to  the  property  in  1903 
when  the  nearby  L.  P.  Hamilton  property  was  bought.  Various 
leases  and  grazing  homesteads  have  been  added  since  so  that  the 
holdings  now  comprise  about  two  thousand  acres  of  deeded  land 
and  one  thousand  six  hundred  acres  of  leased  land. 

In  1906  ' '  in  self  defense ' '  Mr.  Williams  went  into  the  sheep 
business  for  a  number  of  years.  The  family  moved  to  Sheridan 
in  1907  so  the  children  could  attend  high  school  there.  With  the 
ranches  leased  temporarily,  ]\Ir.  Williams  went  into  the  livery 
business  in  Sheridan  for  a  year — the  last  year,  incidentally, 
before  cars  made  the  livery  business  passe.  From  then  imtil 
1916  the  family  commuted  the  twenty-three  miles  between  the 
ranch  and  the  town  home,  when  they  returned  to  make  their 
home  permanently  at  the  ranch. 

The  son,  Claude,  enlisted  in  the  army  on  June  1,  1918,  and 
went  first  to  Ft.  Russell  at  Cheyenne  for  training  with  a  picked 
cavalry  unit.  Later  he  was  transferred  to  the  24th  Trench 
Mortar  Battery  at  Camp  Knox,  Kentucky,  where  he  died  on 
October  9,  1918,  of  influenza. 

Due  to  failing  health  from  that  time  until  his  death  on  May 
11,  1934,  Mr.  Williams  found  it  necessary  to  sell  his  sheep  and 
to  lease  the  ranches,  although  he  continued  to  live  on  the  ranch 
which  he  had  homesteaded  and  to  actively  supervise  his  cattle 
business  which  his  widow  still  continues  under  the  brand  N-Cross- 
W,  adopted  from  her  initials  early  in  their  married  life.  For  a 
number  of  years  before  his  death,  Mr.  Williams  served  as  a 
trustee  for  the  AVhitney  Trust  in  Sheridan  County. 

Nona  Williams 

Winona  Isabel  Condit  was  born  September  24,  1862,  in  a  log 
cabin  ten  miles  south  of  Indianola,  Iowa,  the  third  of  a  family 
of  eight  children.  Her  parents  were  Asa  H.  Condit  (1833-1909) 
and  Elizabeth  Clark  (1837-1913).  The  Condits  were  of  Nor- 
man-French extraction,  having  gone  to  England  with  William 
the  Conqueror,  and  emigrating  to  America  in  1678  to  settle  in 
New  Jersey.  The  forbears  of  the  Clark  family  reached  America 
in  the  late  1700 's,  coming  from  Scotland  and  Ireland  and  reach- 
ing Iowa  via  North  Carolina,  Pennsylvania,  Kentucky  and  In- 
diana. 

Although  frail  as  a  young  child,  Winona  Condit  at  nine 
years  was  earning  her  way  by  leaving  home  to  care  for  babies. 
By  dint  of  her  "knack  with  children"  she  partially  worked  her 
way  through  the  "academy""  at  Ackworth,  Iowa,  about  five 
miles   east   of   Indianola.   gaining  certification   as   a   teacher   at 


198  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

seventeen  and  teaching  her  first  school  in  Marshall  County.  She 
had  the  nsual  difficulty  in  securing  a  ' '  first  school, ' '  she  remem- 
bers. Her  father  and  she  had  driven  about  applying  for  schools 
in  their  home  county  in  which  she  was  certified.  When  she  finally 
succeeded  in  getting  a  school,  she  discovered  that  they  had  gotten 
into  the  adjoining  county  and  she  must  take  another  examina- 
tion in  order  to  qualify  for  the  position. 

After  her  first  year's  experience  she  had  no  difficulty  in 
securing  a  school  and  gradually,  in  ten  years'  experience  in 
various  counties  in  Iowa,  worked  up  to  the  princely  salary  of 
thirty-seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  month.  When  an  older 
brother,  L.  E,.  A.  Condit,  near  Buffalo,  Wyoming,  wrote  that 
salaries  here  were  sixty  dollars  a  month.  Miss  Condit  refused  a 
proffered  principalship  in  Marcus,  Iowa,  and,  disregarding  her 
grandmother's  fears  that  she  would  be  scalped  by  the  Indians, 
came  west  in  May  1890,  traveling  by  train  to  Douglas,  Wyoming, 
a  rail  end  at  that  time,  and  thence  by  stage  coach  to  Buffalo. 
When  she  became  "seasick"  from  the  motion  of  the  coach,  the 
sympathetic  stage  driver  arranged  the  seats  so  she  could  lie  down 
and,  in  spite  of  the  stormy  night,  made  the  young  man  passenger 
who  joined  them  at  Sand  Creek  ride  outside  in  the  rain.  The 
next  passenger,  however,  was  accommodated  inside  but  obligingly 
shared  his  bottle  of  seasick  "remedy"  with  the  lady  passenger. 
At  intervals  the  stage  driver  would  climb  down  and  kick  out 
(and  cuss  out)  the  gumbo  which  clogged  the  wheels  of  the  coach. 

Arriving  tardily  in  Buffalo,  she  found  her  brother  waiting 
to  take  her  to  the  school  which  was  located  at  Kearney,  Wyo- 
ming, near  the  site  of  old  Ft.  Phil  Kearny.  She  drove  a  single 
horse  to  a  buckboard  four  miles  to  school  each  day  and  kept 
house  for  her  brother  and  his  partner  on  the  ranch  which  they 
were  leasing.  When  the  seven  months'  school  term  ended  on 
Friday,  she  began  a  four  months'  term  on  Rock  Creek  on  Mon- 
day, boarding  with  the  Haynes  family  near  the  present  H  F 
Bar  dude  ranch.  The  school  house  was  one  room  of  a  deserted 
dwelling  house,  the  other  rooms  of  which  were  used  as  a  gran- 
ary. She  taught  eleven  months,  all  told,  of  her  eleventh  year 
of  teaching,  to  close  school  on  Friday  and  be  married  on  Sun- 
day, April  8,  1891,  to  Allen  Williams  whom  she  had  met  at  a 
ro'und-up  which  she  visited  near  Lake  DeSmet  soon  after  her 
arrival  in  the  country.  They  were  to  have  been  married  at 
noon,  but  it  was  a  terribly  blizzardy  day,  she  recalls,  and  the 
minister  was  so  delayed  that  the  ceremony  was  at  two.  She 
wore  a  blue  broadcloth  dress  cut  with  a  basque. 

Her  new  home  consisted  of  a  one-room  log  house  with  a  loft 
and  "summer"  kitchen.  When  they  arrived  there  after  the 
wedding,  they  found  a  fire  still  in  the  kitchen  stove,  left  by  the 
departing  "hired  help,"  the  family  who  had  been  working  for 


ALLEN  AND  WINONA  WILLIAMS  199 

Mr.  Williams  and  with  whom  he  had  been  boarding.  Due  to  this 
circumstance,  the  bridegroom  had  given  no  thought  to  the  larder 
and  had  immediately  to  go  to  the  nearest  neighbor  to  borrow  a 
sack  of  flour. 

Neighbors  had  increased  in  the  eight  years  since  the  ranch 
was  first  located.  At  that  time  there  had  been  no  holdings  on 
the  creek  between  the  old  Flying  E  outfit  on  the  west  and  the 
U-Cross  Ranch  at  the  confluence  of  Piney  and  Clear  Creeks. 
By  1891  most  of  the  present  ranches  were  occupied.  There  were 
a  number  of  women  and  even  a  few  children.  The  Flying  E  was 
still  a  bachelor  stronghold,  however,  so  that  when  the  new  bride 
stopped  in  one  day  to  get  warm  while  on  the  way  to  Buffalo,  the 
assembled  cowboys  gave  one  glance  and  disappeared  like  magic, 
leaving  Jim  Simpson,  colored  round-up  cook,  fiddler  and  expert 
roper,  to  entertain  her. 

In  her  more  than  fifty  years  on  the  ranch  Mrs.  Williams, 
the  only  remaining  original  settler  in  the  valley,  has  seen  many 
changes  aside  from  the  passing  of  the  old  neighbors.  Most  of 
the  log  shacks  have  been  replaced  by  stone  houses ;  the  winding 
wagon  trail  around  the  hills  has  been  abandoned  for  the  oiled 
highway  in  the  valley ;  cars  have  taken  the  place  of  the  old  time 
buckboards  and  teams.  Furnace  heat,  electricity  supplied  from 
Sheridan,  telephone  and  bus  connections  with  all  points  of  the 
country  are  now  everyday  conveniences.  In  all  these  progres- 
sive movements  Mrs.  Williams  has  always  been  in  the  vanguard. 
She  was  the  first  woman  in  the  neighborhood  to  install  a  bath- 
room, to  drive  a  car,  to  fit  up  a  modern  laundry  room.  For  many 
years  she  served  on  the  local  school  board.  She  has  been  active 
in  club  work  and  was  president  of  the  Federated  Piney  AYoman's 
Club  for  almost  twenty  years.  In  her  eightieth  year,  she  still 
drives  her  car,  manages  a  flourishing  cattle  business,  regularly 
attends  Farm  Bureau  and  all  other  active  organizations  in  the 
communitv.  She  is  known  to  the  entire  countrvside  as  "Aunt 
Nona." 

Her  younger  daughter  is  now  Mrs.  W.  0.  Hawkey  of  Ban- 
ner, Wj'oming,  and  the  mother  of  four  children,  Harold,  Kath- 
leen, Leon  and  Jean.  Harold  is  a  teacher  in  Montana  while 
Kathleen  is  attending  Kansas  Wesleyan  College  at  Salina,  Kan- 
sas. Mrs.  Williams'  older  daughter,  Jennie,  is  an  instructor  in 
the  State  Normal  School  at  Albion,  Idaho. 


CHEYENNE  INSPIRES  EAELY-DAY  VISITOR 
TO  WRITE  SONG 

Cheyenne !  That  musical  name  has  spelled  romance  and 
adventure  to  many  an  imaginative  youngster  in  the  past,  and 
even  yet  the  same  atmosphere  clings  to  the  city.  The  Annual 
Frontier  Show,  which  for  years  has  attracted  visitors  from  all 
parts  of  the  world,  has  had  much  to  do  with  this  aura  of  the 
"West. 

Occasionally  a  visitor  will  send  back  his  reaction  to  the 
people,  the  country  and  the  show.  It  isn't  often  one  so  im- 
pressed with  the  spectacle  has  the  ability  to  express  himself  as 
did  Mr.  John  Goossens^  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Goossens,  a  visitor  during  1908,  returned  in  1910  with 
his  contribution  to  the  celebration  in  the  form  of  a  song, 
"Frontier  Days  in  Gay  Cheyenne."  He  recently  wrote  the 
Historical  Department  concerning  his  adventures  while  in  Chey- 
enne. 

''I  always  had  a  longing  for  the  "West  when  a  boy,  and  in 
1908  I  came  to  Denver  with  a  friend  to  see  the  West.  There 
was,  that  year,  a  National  Convention  on,  and  Denver  was 
quite  colorful  and  full  of  western  zip  and  atmosphere  contrast- 
ing with  the  many  visitors  from  other  points  in  the  United 
States.  While  in  Colorado  that  summer,  I  ran  off  to  Cheyenne 
to  see  the  Frontier  Day  celebration,  and  it  was  there  I  met  a 
man  who  knew  a  great  hunter  in  western  Wyoming — a  squaw 
man,  whose  wife,  he  said,  would,  for  five  dollars,  make  me  a 
pair  of  gauntlets — beaded  Indian  buckskin  gloves. 

"After  arriving  home  I  corresponded  with  the  squaw  man, 
and  in  due  time  I  received  the  gloves,  which  I  still  have  in  my 
possession  today.  I  corresponded  a  long  time  with  this  gentle- 
man and  sent  him  many  papers.  He  lived  near  Fort  Washakie, 
near  Lander,  Wyoming,  and  once  wrote  in  his  letter,  'my  mail 
box  is  forty  miles  from  my  ranch'. 

"So  all  this,  combined  with  having  seen  a  Frontier  cele- 
bration, inspired  me  to  write  a  song  about  it  all.  I  had  a  flair 
for  poetry,  painting  and  writing,  so  set  to  work.    A  friend,  a 

1.  Goossens,  John,  1624  West  North  Shore  Avenue,  Chicago, 
Illinois.  Painter — ^Bom  Norway,  Michigan,  August  27,  1887.  Pupil  of 
Royal  Academy  of  Antwerp,  Belgium;  Frederick  Poole;  George  Ober- 
teuffer;  Art  Institute  of  Chicago  Member;  Alumni  Art  Institute  of  Chi- 
cago; Illinois  Academy  of  Fine  Arts;  All-Illinois  Society  of  Fine  Arts; 
North  Shore  Artists  Group;  North  Shore  Art  League,  Winnetka.  Awards: 
Two  blue  ribbons,  Aurora,  1927,  two  red  ribbons,  1928;  Honorable  men- 
tion, Springfield,  Illinois,  1928.  Represented  in  permanent  gallery  of 
All-Illinois  Society  of  Fine  Arts,  Stevens  Hotel,  and  Amundsen  High 
School,  music  room;  music  room  Glenola  Club,  Loyola  Community  Thea- 
tre, Rogers  Park,  Chicajgo,  Illinois;  Mount  St.  Mary's  Academy,  St. 
Charles,  Illinois;  St.  Joseph's  College,  Adrian,  Michigan. 


CHEYENNE  INSPIRES  VISITOR  TO   WRITE  SONG  201 

Mr.  Schwickerath,  composer  and  baritone,  and  later  a  great 
leader  of  Choral  Societies  in  Chicago,  volunteered  to  write  the 
music,  and  so  in  the  spring  of  1910,  the  song  was  printed  and 
ready  for  the  market — Lyon  and  Healy  in  Chicago  put  it  on 
sale.  Then,  the  summer  of  that  year,  I  loaded  up  a  big  trunk 
full  of  songs  and  hit  the  trail  for  Cheyenne.  It  so  happened 
that  this  Mr.  Schwickerath  knew  a  family  of  high-class  confec- 
tioners and  bakers  in  Chicago  by  the  name  of  Sehwefer,  who 
were  friends  of  the  Breisches-  in  Cheyenne.  Mr.  Breisch  was 
the  Freight  Agent  for  the  Union  Pacific,  and  these  'Bakery 
people'  decided  to  bake  a  swell  cake  for  the  Breisch  family, 
which  I  was  to  take  along — so  when  I  pulled  into  Cheyenne  I 
had  a  cake  and  songs  to  bring,  but  no  one  was  there  to  meet 
me.  My  trunk  contained  so  many  songs  that  it  took  two  men 
to  carry  it  to  the  wagon ;  they  asked  me  if  I  had  rocks  in  this 
trunk.  I  told  them  that  they  were  songs,  and  they  laughed 
loundly,  thinking  it  a  joke. 

"When  I  was  settled  in  the  only  room  I  could  find  in 
Cheyenne,  trunk,  songs  and  all,  I  delivered  the  cake  to  the 
Breisch  family.  They  immediately  made  me  feel  at  home  in 
Cheyenne.  Ruth  Breisch  was  employed  in  the  Governor 's  office, 
and  knew  everybody.  So  it  was  that  they  helped  to  place  my 
song  all  over,  and  arrange  to  have  it  sold  in  the  Grandstand  at 
Frontier  Park. 

"The  band  (military)  of  then  Ft.  D.  A.  Russell,  set  it  to 
music  and  played  it.  I  sold  many  copies,  but  only  made  ten  cents 
apiece  when  all  expenses  and  concession  prices  were  deducted. 
It  did  pay  for  my  trip  back  and  forth  and  other  expenses. 

"  'Teddy'  Roosevelt  spoke  there  that  year.  He  had  just 
returned  from  his  African  hunt.  The  crowd  in  Cheyenne  was 
overflowing  everything.  It  was  an  epic  week.  I  will  not  forget, 
ever,  Teddy's  words  to  the  crowd  of  cowboys  in  front  of  him 
when  he  spoke  that  day.  He  said,  'Men,  when  I  was  a  cowman 
in  this  country  there  were  quite  a  few^  bad  men  here  then — 
and,  (pause)  I  know  there  must  be  quite  a  few  of  them  right 
here,  present  today. '   The  crowd  was  his  from  that  moment  on. 

"I  met  a  Mr.  Irwin  who  had  trained  buffaloes,  a  Mr.  Wil- 
liam F.  Myers  who  owned  the  Dry  Goods  Store,  the  Governor 
and  Mayor  and  Sheriff,  too,  and  there  w^as  a  little  item  in  the 
Cheyenne  Trihuve  of  that  week  about  my  song.^ 

2.  The  E.  R.  Breisch  family  resided  at  i08  East  Twenty-third  Street. 

3.  ''The  following  poem  was  composed  by  Joseph  Goossons,  a  young 
man  who  is  in  the  city  visiting  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Myers  dur- 
ing Frontier  Days.  He  was  formerly  connected  with  the  advertising 
department  of  the  Lord  &  Thomas  agency  in  Chicago.  He  has  been  a 
cowpuncher  himself  and  snielled  the  breath  of  the  wild.  The  poem  has 
been  put  to  music  and  is  popular  wherever  sung. ' '  (See  poem  at  end  of 
article. — Ed.) 


202  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

''This,  in  brief,  is  all  I  remember.  I  have  lost  all  contact 
with  those  early  Cheyenne  people  of  my  day.  I  made  a  trip  to 
Salt  Lake  City  and  back  to  Cheyenne  and  visited  briefly  Lara- 
mie, Rawlins,  Green  River,  Rock  Springs  and  Evanston. 

' '  I  will  never  forget  Wyoming  and  its  people,  who  were,  all 
of  them  of  that  day,  so  very  nice  to  me.  While  I  never  did  be- 
come a  songwriter,  the  latch  string,  indeed,  did  and  still  hangs 
out  in  my  heart." 

Recently  Mr.  Goossens  found  in  an  old  trunk  several  copies 
of  his  song.  One  he  autographed  and  sent  to  the  Wyoming 
Historical  Department  where  it  will  be  preserved  with  all  other 
items  of  historical  value  and  interest. 


TEONTIEE  DAYS  IN  GAY  CHEYENNE 

1. 

When  rambling  shacks  and  frontier  huts  were  marking, 

Cheyenne,  the  place  where  proudly  now  you  stand. 

Then  spurs  were  jingling  and  colts  were  barking. 

When  frontier  days  call  echoed  thro '  the  land. 

Then  Knights  of  cattle  range  and  Pioneers, 

On  bronchos  wild,  thro '  clouds  of  Alkali, 

Left  round-up  camp,  the  cows  and  restless  steers; 

To  celebrate  your  Frontier  day; 

A  reckless  vision  rare  they  flew. 

When  Frontier  days  were  calling  then  to  you. 

Refrain 
By  the  camp  fires  golden  gleam. 
Strange,  sparkling  eyes  were  seen. 
As  "Buckskin,"  cards  or  sweetheart  they  carressed 
In  dear  old  gay  Cheyemie, 
Ev  'ry  one  was  raising  Cain 
On  Frontier  days  in  years  gone  by  and  past. 

2. 
The  dear  old  wild  and  woolly  days  are  creeping, 
Cheyenne  into  the  past  of  memories. 
In  the  round-up  camps  all  is  quiet  and  sleeping, 
Will  they  your  call  hear,  carried  by  the  breeze? 
Ah,  yes,  Cross  smiling  plains  and  silv  'ry  rivers, 
'Neath  stars  that  kindly  light  the  way. 
Thro '  mountain  gorge,  thro '  brush  and  cover. 
We  '11  ride  once  more  to  Frontier  day. 
To  camp  once  more  beneath  the  sky  so  blue. 
When  Frontier  days  are  calling  to  you. 

Refrain 
As  prairie  moon 's  soft  light. 
Shines  on  gay  Cheyenne  tonight, 
Let  Mem  'ries  of  old  days  revive  our  heart, 
And  to  Frontier's  Queen,  Cheyenne, 
We  will  sing  dear  "Auld  Lang  Syne" 
When  we  break  camp  and  to  our  homes  depart. 


ROBBERS  ROOST  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 
By  Tina  G.  Noble* 

Through  the  efforts  of  several  residents  of  the  Cheyenne 
River  Community  of  northern  Niobrara  County,  an  organiza- 
tion known  as  the  liobbers  Roost  Historical  Association  was 
instigated  because  of  the  realization  that  events  of  historical 
value  in  the  community  should  be  preserved  and  handed  down 
to  posterity. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  June  27,  1941,  in  the  Cheyenne 
River  School  building.  Malcolm  Campbell  was  asked  to  preside. 
The  officers  elected  were:  Malcolm  Campbell,  President;  A.  T. 
Beebe,  Vice-President ;  Leonard  Sedgwick,  Secretary.  Other 
members  of  the  charter  group  were :  George  Tupper,  Mrs.  Reta 
Campbell,  Mrs.  George  Tupper,  L.  E.  Davis,  Marie  Davis,  Eu- 
gene Sheaman,  Mrs.  Grace  Sheaman,  Mrs.  Fred  Robison,  Mrs. 
Hans  Meng,  Mrs.  Leonard  Sedgwick,  D.  B.  Burton,  Hans  Meng, 
Russell  Morgan,  Sam  Rennard,  Mrs.  Ruth  Beebe,  Mrs.  Effie 
Williams,  Harry  Avenell,  Mrs.  Harry  Avenell,  Louise  Tupper, 
James  H.  Williams,  Fred  Robison,  J.  M.  Marchant,  A.  W.  Sedg- 
wick and  Frank  Robison. 

The  purpose  of  this  organization  is  to  commemorate  and 
dedicate  historic  spots  in  the  vicinity  known  as  the  Cheyeujie 
River  Community  and  to  gather  relics  and  data  for  the  record- 
ing of  incidents  and  happenings  in  the  lives  of  the  people  who 
settled  and  developed  this  part  of  the  state.  All  such  records 
are  to  be  authentic  in  order  that  they  may  be  recognized  and 
used  for  future  publication. 

The  membership  of  the  organization  is  open  to  all  who  are 
interested  in  the  early  exploration  and  development  of  this 
section  of  the  state. 

A  motion  was  made  by  Mrs.  Jim  Williams  and  seconded 
by  Mrs.  Cora  Robison  that  this  organization  be  known  as  the 
Robbers  Roost  Historical  Association  in  commemoration  of  the 
famous  Robbers  Roost  stage  crossing  on  the  old  Cheyenne-Dead- 
wood  stage  line  which  is  located  in  this  vicinity.  Here  robberies 
were  committed  by  such  notorious  characters  as  Blackburn, 
Lame  Johnny,  Lame  Bradley,  Webster,  Hartwell,  Wall  and 
others. 

The  crossing  with  its  steep  embankments  was  an  ideal  place 
for  the  robbers  and  their  horses  to  hide  and  carry  out  plans 
for  robbing  the  stage  coaches  which  could  be  seen  coming  several 


*Miss  Noble,  a  teacher  in  the  Cheyenne  River  School,  was  assisted 
in  compiling  this  article  by  Frank  Eobison,  Mrs.  Grace  Wilson  and  Mrs. 
Eeta  Campbell.  The  material  presented  here  was  obtained  from  a  variety 
of  sources,  but  the  greater  portion  of  it  is  based  on  notes  obtained  from 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Malcolm  Campbell. 


204  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

miles  distant.  These  stirring  events  began  to  take  place  in  the 
spring  of  1877  and  continued  during  1878. 

Gold  mines  having  been  discovered  and  opened  in  the  year 
1876  at  Deadwood  and  elsewhere  in  the  Black  Hills,  a  most 
flourishing  mining  camp  was  started  which  induced  the  forming 
of  the  Cheyenne  and  Deadwood  Stage  Line.  When  gold  ship- 
ments were  started  from  Deadwood  to  Cheyenne,  road  agents  or 
highway  robbers  made  their  appearances.  They  began  their 
depredations  in  May  1877,  and  within  the  space  of  a  few  weeks 
had  robbed  both  passengers  and  coaches.  Their  operations  were 
chiefly  confined  to  attacks  on  the  "treasure  coach"  containing 
the  gold,  the  attacks  occurring  between  what  is  now  Beaver 
Creek  and  Cheyenne  River,  E-obbers  Eoost  being  located  about 
half  way  between  these  two  points. 

At  this  first  meeting  of  the  Association  it  was  decided  that 
a  picnic  be  held  near  the  Robbers  Roost  Crossing  where  Charlie 
McEndaffer  now  lives. 

July  6,  1941,  Meeting 

A  second  meeting  was  held  July  sixth  at  which  time  com- 
mittees were  appointed.  The  Historical  Committee  consisted 
of  Frank  Robison,  Mrs.  Grace  Wilson,  Hans  Meng,  Mrs.  Grace 
Tupper  and  Mike  Marchant.  This  is  to  be  a  standing  committee 
for  the  selection  of  historical  data. 

In  preparation  for  the  picnic,  special  committees  were  ap- 
pointed. Picnic  grounds  committee :  C.  R.  Cooksey,  Tom  Ham- 
mell,  Sammy  Rennard  and  Donald  Burton.  Entertainment  com- 
mittee :  Andy  Sedgwick,  Fred  Campbell,  Mrs.  Irene  Cooksey 
and  Mrs.  Effie  Williams.  Refreshment  committee :  Mrs.  Ina 
Sutherland,  Mrs.  Cora  Robison,  Alberta  Glasby  and  Mrs.  Reta 
Campbell. 

At  this  meeting  Honorary  Members  were  elected  as  follows : 
Matthew  D.  Brown,  Kelly  Robison,  James  Hogg,  Mrs.  Mary  F. 
Baltzly,  Jim  Williams,  Charles  McEndaifer  and  John  Phillip. 
They  were  chosen  because  of  long  lives  of  service  and  contribu- 
tion to  the  community. 

Picnic  Held  at  Robbers  Roost  Creek 

The  picnic  of  the  Robbers  Roost  Historical  Association  was 
held  August  third  at  the  historic  spot  where  the  Cheyenne- 
Deadwood  stage  crossed  Robbers  Roost  Creek.  The  picnic  site 
was  well  shaded  by  willow  trees,  reported  to  have  been  planted 
originally  by  Mr.  Dale  who  pioneered  at  this  location.  The 
prairie,  which  is  naturally  level,  drops  off  in  perpendicularly 
cut  banks  on  both  sides  of  the  creek  and  again  levels  off  to  the 


EOBBEES  ROOST  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  205 

west  where  bluffs  change  the  landscape.  These  bluffs  were  used 
as  a  hideout  for  the  Indians  who  burned  the  stage  station  on  the 
Cheyenne  River  in  1878  and  caused  much  trouble  among  the 
whites. 

To  the  picnic  ground  committee  goes  the  credit  for  prepar- 
ing the  long  table,  chairs  and  benches  for  the  crowd.  The 
American  Flag  was  put  on  a  pole  and  placed  on  an  old  apple  tree. 

Friends  and  neighbors  from  near  and  far  began  arriving 
about  nine-thirty  and  by  twelve  o'clock  the  grounds  were  well 
filled  with  visitors.  Over  one  hundred  and  fifty  people  registered, 
although  there  were  between  two  hundred  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty  persons  in  attendance. 

The  refreshment  committee  had  planned  and  provided  for 
a  basket  lunch  which  consisted  of  salads,  baked  beans,  fried 
chicken,  baked  ham,  rolls,  pickles,  cakes,  pies,  ice  cream  and 
lemonade. 

Following  this  bountiful  repast  the  entertainment  committee 
took  charge.  They  were  fortunate  in  obtaining  Wm.  "Scotty" 
Jack,  State  Auditor,  as  the  principal  speaker  of  the  day  and 
Thos.  0.  Miller,  County  Attorney,  who  also  spoke  to  the  assem- 
blage. Mr.  Malcolm  Campbell  acted  as  master  of  ceremonies  for 
the  occasion.  The  Pledge  of  Allegiance  was  given  followed  by 
a  welcome  to  all  honorary  members  and  visitors  on  behalf  of 
the  officers  and  members  of  the  Robbers  Roost  Historical  Associa- 
tion. The  purpose  and  objectives  of  the  Association  were  then 
explained. 

Mr.  Campbell  paid  tribute  to  the  drivers  and  operators  of 
the  stage  line  who  so  gallantly  braved  the  dangerous  trail  in- 
fested by  Indians  and  highway  men.  Special  tribute  was  given 
the  early  settlers  and  stock  drivers  who,  through  their  courage 
and  endurance,  developed  this  community  by  establishing  homes 
and  schools.  Mr.  Miller  next  spoke,  commending  the  zVssociation 
for  the  work  it  Avas  doing. 

Mr.  Jack,  who  was  presented  by  Mr.  Campbell,  needed  no 
introduction  for  he  lived  in  this  community  nearly  thirty  years 
ago,  working  for  Andy  Sedgwick,  Jim  Hammell  and  James 
Spencer,  prominent  ranchers  of  the  vicinity.  He  related  many 
incidents  which  had  occurred  during  those  earlier  years.  He 
spoke  of  the  men  on  the  stage  line,  of  their  trials,  bravery  and 
endurance  against  all  odds.  He  paid  tribute  to  the  early  pio- 
neers who  suffered  hardships  at  the  time  when  this  country  was 
Indian  Territory  and  to  those  Avho  followed  and  settled  here, 
developing  this  territory  into  the  thriving  connuunity  it  is  today. 

Following  this  interesting  address  'Sir.  Campbell  reviewed 
the  robberies  that  occurred  at  this  particular  location  :  the  killing 


206  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

of  Frank  Towle^ ;  the  Web-May  Holdup^ ;  the  Robbers  Roost 
Holdup^. 

In  August  1877,  Boone  May  and  John  Zimmerman  were 
guarding  a  treasure  coach  which  was  crossing  Robbers  Roost 
Creek  on  its  way  to  Hat  Creek  when  they  were  suddenly  ordered 
to,  ' '  Halt ! ' '  Frank  Towle,  leader  of  the  robbers,  inquired  about 
the  guards  and  when  informed  of  their  whereabouts  started 
after  them.  May  and  Zimmerman  heard  the  command  to  halt, 
crept  up  on  Towle  and  shot  him. 

Web-May  Holdup :  A  scheme  was  formulated  in  Deadwood 
to  capture  and  kill  some  of  the  stage  robbers,  thereby  halting 
some  of  the  holdups.  When  the  stage  reached  Robbers  Roost, 
three  men  stopped  it  and  demanded  that  the  passengers  "shell 
out."  A  woman  and  her  child  who  were  passengers  on  the 
stage  begged  the  guards  not  to  fire,  and  Boone  May,  becoming 
disgusted  with  the  men  who  were  delegated  to  assist  him  with 
the  capture  of  the  bandits,  threw  away  his  gun  and  told  the 
robbers  to  help  themselves. 

The  Robbers  Roost  Holdup :  In  the  fall  of  1878,  a  gang  of 
men  held  up  and  attempted  to  rob  the  stage  coach  at  Robbers 
Roost.  Scott  Davis,  John  Denny  and  three  soldiers  were  on  the 
coach  as  guards.  The  soldiers  and  Denny  took  to  the  brush, 
leaving  Davis  to  fight  alone.  Davis  was  shot,  but  the  robbers, 
becoming  afraid  of  the  advantage  held  by  the  soldiers,  left 
without  obtaining  any  of  the  treasure.  Two  of  the  outlaws  were 
Blackburn  and  Wall  who  had  formerly  killed  a  U.  S.  Marshal 
and  had  stolen  horses  owned  by  the  stage  coach  line. 

After  recovering  from  his  wound,  Scott  Davis  took  up  their 
trail  which  led  him  over  much  of  the  state,  ending  at  Alkali 
Springs  near  Green  River.  Here  a  fight  occurred  and  Wall 
and  Blackburn  were  shot  and  captured.  Not  only  did  Davis 
apprehend  the  men,  but  he  also  recovered  some  of  the  stolen 
horses. 

A  very  interesting  feature  of  the  program  was  a  newspaper 
published  in  1798  which  was  presented  by  Mrs.  Mike  March  ant 
and  from  which  "Scotty"  Jack  read  an  account  of  the  funeral 
of  President  George  Washington. 

Honorary  Members  Introduced 

Mr.  Matthew  Brown,  eighty-five  years  old,  is  one  of  the 
Association's  oldest  pioneers.  He  first  came  to  this  country  in 
April  1876,  and  has  resided  here  since.  He  has  the  distinction 
of  living  in  the  same  home  for  sixty  years  but  living  in  three 

1.  For  further  references  see:  Brown  and  Willard,  The  Blcwk  Hills 
Trails,  p.  252. 

2.  Ibid.,  pp.  2.54-5. 

3.  Ibid.,  pp.  261-2. 


EOBBERS  ROOST  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  207 

different  counties,  Laramie,  Converse  and  Niobrara,  due  to  the 
changing  of  boundary  lines.  He  also  claims  to  be  a  direct 
deseendent  of  Daniel  Boone's  family,  his  great  grandmother 
being  Daniel  Boone 's  sister.* 

Mr.  Kelly  Robison,  eighty-six  years  old,  moved  from  Green- 
field, Missouri,  to  Eapid  City,  South  Dakota,  in  1885  by  covered 
vi^agon,  the  journey  taking  sixty-four  daja.  He  settled  in  Nio- 
brara County  in  1901.  Kelly  Robison  was  instrumental  in  get- 
ting the  first  school  established  in  this  district,  and  his  home 
used  to  be  the  community  gathering  place. 

Mrs.  Baltzly,  a  lady  past  eighty  years  of  age,  was  one  of 
the  first  teachers  in  the  first  school  established  in  this  district. 
She  was  both  teacher  and  nurse  to  the  entire  community,  never 
failing  to  help  a  neighbor  or  friend  who  needed  assistance.  It 
is  said  that  she  crossed  the  Cheyenne  River  when  it  was  bank 
full,  regardless  of  weather,  to  help  her  neighbors  in  time  of 
sickness  or  death. 

Jim  Hogg,  although  in  the  Rapid  City  hospital,  was  hon- 
ored next.  Mr.  Hogg  came  to  AVyoming  in  1896  and  filed  on 
land  on  Lance  Creek  near  the  Cheyenne  River  where  he  engaged 
in  stock  raising.  He  is  a  friend  to  all  mankind  and  is  especially 
fond  of  children. 

Charles  McEndaffer,  seventy-four  years  of  age,  was  a  trail 
herder,  having  trailed  cattle  from  the  Cimarron  River  in  New 
Mexico  to  north  of  the  Yellowstone  River  in  IMontana  on  the 
Texas  Trail.  He  went  through  this  community  on  a  trail  herd 
in  1893. 

Jim  Williams,  seventy-nine  years  old,  came  to  Wyoming 
in  1896  and  has  lived  in  this  community  since  1897.  He  was 
instrumental  in  consolidating  and  building  the  school  we  have 
today  and  has  been  an  auctioneer  of  no  mean  ability. 

John  Phillip,  eighty  years  of  age,  came  to  this  country  from 
Scotland  at  an  early  date  and  engaged  in  the  livestock  business, 
later  coming  to  Niobrara  County.  With  Scotch  thrift  and  hard 
work  he  succeeded  in  building  up  a  fine  livestock  ranch. 

Numerous  other  pioneers  of  the  community  were  introduced 
at  this  time. 

The  Mayor  of  Newcastle,  Ras  Anderson,  was  called  on  and 
responded  with  a  talk  on  his  early  days  around  Robbers  Roost 
ancl  commended  the  organization  in  its  work  of  preserving  the 
history  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Campbell  thanked  the  committees  for  their  fine  coopera- 
tion and  extended  an  invitation  to  everyone  to  attend  the  picinc 
again  next  year. 


■4.     See  page  213. 


208  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Many  Old  Relics  Exhibited 

In  the  collection  brought  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mike  Merchant 
was  a  four-piece  set  of  dishes  of  heavy  china  which  had  been  dug 
up  by  Jim  Hogg  on  his  place  near  the  old  stage  station  on  Lance 
Creek.  There  were  several  old  books  which  had  been  published 
in  1757,  an  old  Spencer  rifle  with  an  unexploded  cartridge  which 
had  been  found  along  the  old  stage  line,  and  the  aforementioned 
newspaper  published  in  1798. 

Charlie  Hanson  presented  an  old  rifle  which  had  been  dug 
from  under  an  old  chimney  on  the  Bridle  Bit  Ranch,  one  of  the 
first  ranches  established  in  this  community. 

Hans  Meng  exhibited  a  collection  of  old  time  pictures,  sev- 
eral of  which  were  taken  in  this  community,  at  old  Fort  Fetter- 
man  and  Newcastle. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tom  Rennard  brought  a  very  old  organ  which 
had  been  transported  into  this  country  years  ago  and  which  they 
had  purchased  in  1918  from  people  by  the  name  of  Blair. 

In  1878  a  stage  station  between  Robbers  Roost  and  the  Chey- 
enne River  was  burned  by  Indians  and  had  never  been  rebuilt. 
A  piece  of  hardwood  found  near  the  spot,  a  few  rocks  and  charred 
wood  were  the  only  evidences  of  the  old  station.  This  hardwood 
had  been  carved  into  a  gavel  which  Mr.  Campbell  used  in  con- 
ducting the  meeting. 

Several  old  time  tunes  were  played  by  Frank  Robison  on 
the  violin  accompanied  by  Fred  Robison  who  chorded  on  the  old 
organ.  Mrs.  Sutherland  also  pla3^ed  while  the  audience  sang 
such  old  time  favorites  as  "Annie  Laurie,"  "Old  Lang  Syne" 
and  hymns  of  an  early  day. 

On  the  whole  the  day  was  an  outstanding  success.  Every- 
one enjoyed  visiting  and  reminiscing  and  plans  are  being  made 
to  make  this  an  annual  affair. 

Other  Items  of  Interest  Owned  by  Residents  of  the  Community 

Mrs.  Mike  Marchant  is  painting  a  picture  depicting  the 
Robbers  Roost  Stagecoach  Holdup  which  will  be  given  to  the 
Association.  Mrs.  Marchant,  who  lives  in  this  community,  is  a 
very  fine  artist  and  has  painted  many  historical  pictures  of  local 
color. 

Fred  Campbell  owns  a  collection  of  Indian  relics  consisting 
of  forty-two  pieces.    Some  are  thought  to  be  of  prehistoric  times. 

Mr.  A.  T.  Beebe  has  in  his  possession  a  post  which  had  been 
used  as  a  boundary  sign  between  Laramie  and  Crook  Counties. 

Frank  Skinner  has  a  cavalry  stirrup  which  was  found  on 
the  Pearson  ranch  near  the  Robbers  Roost  Creek.  In  his  posses- 
sion is  a  muzzle  loading  shot  gun,  the  date  on  which  is  1860. 
Cap,  powder  or  shot  can  be  used.    He  has  the  barrel  of  a  single 


EOBBERS  ROOST  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  209 

shot  rifle  and  the  double  barrel  part  of  a  muzzle  loading  shot 
gun  which  were  found  by  C.  N.  Hanson  on  the  Bridle  Bit  Ranch. 

Billy  Hanson  has  a  collection  of  relics  including  an  artifact 
and  grinding  stone  used  by  the  Indians. 

Will  Spencer  has  a  large  collection  of  Indian  relics  consist- 
ing of  darts,  arrow  points,  grinding  bowls,  etc.,  which  he  has 
found  while  traveling  over  the  prairies  in  the  Cheyenne  River 
area. 

March  19,  1942,  Meeting 

The  Robbers  Roost  Historical  Association  met  March  19, 
1942.  Mr.  Malcolm  Campbell  presided.  The  minutes  were  read 
and  approved. 

The  names  of  the  honorarj^  members  were  again  read :  Mat- 
thew Brown,  Kelly  Robison,  Mrs.  Mary  F.  Baltzly,  Jim  Williams, 
John  Phillip,   Charles  McEndaffer  and  Jim  Hogg    (deceased). 

Mr.  Campbell  read  the  objectives  of  the  organization  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  were  not  present  before. 

Mr.  Frank  Robison  moved  that  we  subscribe  for  three  vearlv 
subscriptions  of  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  for  the  Associa- 
tion. Mr.  Fred  Robison  seconded  the  motion  which  was  then 
carried. 

Mr.  L.  J.  Davis  reported  on  two  new  memberships.  Mr. 
Campbell  read  a  communication  from  the  State  Historian  which 
stated  that  she  would  welcome  any  communication  and  reports 
to  be  published  in  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  and  extended 
her  assistance  to  the  Association  in  every  way  possible. 

Election  of  officers  and  other  business  were  postponed  until 
the  next  meeting  which  will  be  held  April  seventeenth. 

Mr.  R.  I.  dinger  of  Newcastle  and  Mr.  R.  E.  Frison.  the 
state  game  warden  for  this  district,  were  visitors  and  speakers 
of  the  evening. 

The  presiding  officer  next  introduced  Mr.  dinger,  a  member 
of  the  Advisory  Board  of  the  State  Historical  Department,  who 
discussed  the  importance  of  time  to  the  archaeologist.  Written 
history  and  the  age  of  man  is  a  very  insignificant  period  of  time 
in  comparison  to  that  of  unwritten  history.  It  is  this  latter  period 
with  which  the  archaeologist  must  contend. 

Mr.  dinger  stated  that  the  area  from  Edgemont,  South 
Dakota,  west  to  Lusk,  Manville  and  Glendo  comprises  what  is 
known  as  the  Pittsburg  Quarries  which  date  back  about  twenty- 
five  thousand  years.  The  quarries  are  of  fine  quartzite  and 
jasper,  layers  of  which  are  known  to  reach  as  far  east  as  Ohio. 
It  has  been  found  that  this  quartzite  and  jasper  Avere  made  into 
implements  of  war.  He  brought  out  the  fact  that,  since  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  controversy  over  the  strata  of  rock  and  types 
of  relics,  historians  and  archaeologists  must  give  proof  of  all 
statements  made. 


210  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

He  drew  and  explained  a  Folsom  point  which  was  fastened 
to  a  stick  and  used  in  the  form  of  a  sling  shot  to  give  it  greater 
striking  distance.  These  were  found  near  Folsom,  New  Mexico, 
and  were  used  by  nomadic  tribes  to  kill  the  huge  hairy  elephants 
which  are  now  extinct.  Mr.  Frison  explained  that  this  dart 
was  used  thousands  of  years  before  the  bow  and  arrow  were  in- 
vented. 

The  Yuma  point,  significant  for  its  perfect  flaking,  was  also 
explained.  Ales  Hrcllicka,^  a  foremost  archaeologist  who  collects 
information  about  these  darts  and  arrowheads,  is  an  authority  on 
this  subject. 

Mr.  Olinger  mentioned  that  the  collection  of  arrow  points 
and  heads  owned  by  Mr.  Fred  Campbell  were  probably  made  by 
eastern  tribes  of  prehistoric  times  of  whom  very  little  is  known. 

Mr.  Frison  stated  that  the  Indians  found  these  early  arrow 
points  here  and  believed  that  the}^  were  made  for  them.  It  seems 
that  the  chips  and  flaking  on  these  arrow  points  and  darts  can- 
not be  duplicated.  He  also  told  of  an  experience  he  had  in  flnd- 
ing  a  Folsom  point  in  a  vertebrae  of  a  prehistoric  animal,  pro- 
viding the  flrst  proof  that  the  Folsom  point  was  used  to  kill 
animals. 

Mr.  Frison  brought  a  collection  of  gastroliths  which  he  had 
found  in  the  Big-  Horn  Basin.  These  gastroliths  lay  near  what 
would  have  been  the  chest  of  the  fossil  of  a  dinosaur  and  were 
used  to  grind  the  food  eaten  by  this  prehistoric  animal.  The 
Indian  relics  Mr.  Frison  brought  with  him  were  of  Wyoming 
only.  He  stated  that  there  is  no  artifact  in  the  country  which 
cannot  be  duplicated.  The  knife  artifiact  in  his  collection  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  made  before  the  Big  Horn  Basin  was  formed 
some  twenty  to  twenty-five  thousand  years  ago. 

Several  members  brought  relics  they  had  found  and  Llr. 
Olinger  and  Mr.  Frison  attempted  to  explain  what  they  could 
of  their  significance.  The  hammer  of  volcanic  basalt  found  by 
A.  T.  Beebe  was  used  to  grind  grain,  break  ice,  kill  fish  or  it 
may  have  been  used  to  hobble  a  horse.  There  were  several  manos 
brought  by  the  members.  They  are  hand  grinding  stones  and 
were  also  used  as  whetstones.  Mr.  Bill}^  Hanson  had  an  unusual 
collection  of  agatized  wood.  The  artifact  in  this  collection  was 
declared  unusual  by  Mr.  Olinger  because  of  its  patina. ^ 

Evidences  prove  that  this  land  was  once  inundated  by  water 
and  tropical  plants  and  animals  are  known  to  have  lived  here. 
Mr.  Frison  declared  that  some  of  the  finest  marine  type  of  fossil 
beds  are  found  between  Beaver  Creek  and  Morissey  in  Wyoming. 


For  biographical  data  see  International  Who's  Wlio,  1938,  p.  520. 
A  weathered  surface. 


ROBBEES  ROOST  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


211 


The  smaller  type  of  ammonite,^  one  of  which  Mr.  Frison  had  in 
his  collection,  are  found  this  side  of  the  Black  Hills.  A  true 
ammonite  of  the  large  variety  was  found  b}-  Frank  Skinner  in 
the  vicinity  of  Buffalo  Gap,  South  Dakota. 

Mr.  Frison  had  a  collection  of  transparent  agate,  specimens 
of  rocks,  a  tooth  of  a  prehistoric  hog,  beaver  teeth,  a  specimen  of 
tempskya  or  palm  rock  found  on  the  Cheyenne  River  and  petri- 
fied algae,  the  green  scum  of  water,  which  he  found  north  of 
Laramie. 

Mr.  Campbell  thanked  the  speakers  for  bringing  their  fine 
exhibits  or  relics  and  for  their  interesting  and  informative  talks. 

The  meeting  adjourned  and  a  fine  lunch  of  coffee,  dough- 
nuts, sandwiches  and  cake  was  served  by  the  ladies. 

The  Association  plans  to  form  a  campaign  for  the  next  year 
in  which  they  will  gather  relics,  data  of  historical  happenings 
and  mark  historic  spots  of  importance. 


MEMBERSHIP    OF   ROBBERS   ROOST   HISTORICAL    ASSOCIATION 
Copied  from  Records — Spring  1942 


Avenell,  Mrs.  Beatrice 
Avenell,  Harry 

Baltzly,  Mary  F.* 
Bedell  Alice  E. 
Beebe,  A.  T. 
Beebe,  IMrs.  Ruth 
Beebe,  Tom 
BroAvn,  Matthew  D.* 
Burton,  Donald 

Campbell,  Malcolm  S. 
Campbell,  Mrs.  Reta 
Christensen,  ]\Irs.  Ann 
Christensen,  Chris 
Christensen,  Fred 
Christensen,  Jean 
Christensen,  Russell 
Conner,  H.  T. 
Cooksey,  C.  R. 
Cooksev.  Mrs.  Irene 
Crane, 'p.  D. 

Daniels,  Donald 
Daniels,  Dorris 


Daniels,  Everett 
Daniels,  Jennie 
Davis,  L.  E. 
Davis,  Mrs.  Marie 
Dillon,  C.  J. 
Dillon,  Jimmie 

Francis,  Gene 
Francis,  ]\Iyrtle 

Glasbv,  Alberta 
Glasby,  Albert 
Glasby,  Mrs.  Florence 
Grieves,  Charles  ^I. 
Guinn.  Colonel  T. 

Hammell,  Mrs.  Jennie 
Hammell,  Thomas 
Hanson,  ^Ii-s.  Betty 
Hanson,  W.  0. 
Harris.  Ray 
Hogg,  Ethan  A. 
Hoii'g.  James  (Deed.)* 
Hoilenbeck,  J.W. 
Howell,  Charles  A. 


7.     Fossil  shell  having  the  form  of  a  flat  spiral,  especially  alnmdant  in 
the  Mesozoic  Age.     Some  were  three  feet  or  more  in  diameter. 
*Honorarv  members. 


212 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


Jenkins,  Grover 
Johnson,  Mrs.  Edith 
Johnson,  Lawrence 

Koller,  Robert 

Lorenz,  Rian 

Marchant,  Jack 
Marchant,  James  A. 
Marchant,  James 
Marchant,  J.  M. 
Marchant,  Mrs.  Marjorie 
Marchant,  Pat 
Marchant,  Mrs.  Pauline 
Marchant,  Mrs.  Sylvia 
Menard,  Fred 
Meng,  Hans 
Meng,  Mrs.  May 
Morgan,  Russell 
Mullen,  Gene 
McCarthy,  Donald 
McCarthy,  Mrs.  Edna 
McCarthy,  Paul 
McCarthy,  Robert 
McDaniel,  Mrs.  Ada 
McDaniel,  Dennis 
McDaniel,  Jack 
McDaniel,  Pat 
McDaniel,  Paul 
McDaniel,  Thomas 
McDaniel,  William 
McEndaffer,  Charles* 

Noble,  Tina 

Phillip,  John* 
Phillip,  Mrs.  Maude 


Reed,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Reed,  E.  C. 
Reed,  James 
Reed,  Thomas 
Rennard,  Mrs.  Mary 
Rennard,  Sam 
Rennard,  Tom 
Robison,  Beryl 
Robison,  Mrs.  Clara 
Robison,  Mrs.  Cora 
Robison,  Frank 
Robison,  Fred 
Robison,  Kelly* 
Robison,  Peggy 
Robison,  Roy 

Sedgwick,  A.  W. 
Sedgwick,  Clara  P. 
Sedgwick,  Francis 
Sedgwick,  Francis  M. 
Sedgwick,  Mrs.  Helen 
Sedgwick,  Leonard  A. 
Sedgwick,  Leonard  T. 
Sedgwick,  Mrs.  Violet 
Sheaman,  Eugene 
Sheaman,  Mrs.  Grace 
Spencer,  Mrs.  Delia 
Spencer,  William  L. 

Tupper,  Dorothy 
Tupper,  George 
Tupper,  Mrs.  Grace 
Tupper,  Louise 

Williams,  Mrs.  Effie 
Williams,  James* 
Wilson,  Mrs.  Grace 
Wilson,  Tom 
Wold,  James 


MATTHEW  DOBSON  BROWN 

Niobrara  County  Pioneer 

By  Malcolm  S.  Campbell* 

Matthew  Brown,  born  in  Warrensburg,  ^Missouri,  on  October 
6,  1856,  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  three  children  whose  par- 
ents, Matthew  J.  and  Mary  Brown,  were  among'  the  first  white 
settlers  in  Johnson  County,  Missouri.  '  One  sister,  Lina  Brown 
Warnek,  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years  and  Amanda  Brown, 
his  other  sister,  who  resides  in  Warrensbnrg,  is  now  past  eighty- 
two  years  of  age.  An  interesting  point  in  connection  with  ]\latt 
Brown's  heritage  is  the  fact  that  his  great  grandmother  was 
Daniel  Boone's  sister. 

Matt 's  father  enlisted  in  the  southern  army  in  the  spring  of 
1861,  serving  under  General  Price.  After  six  months'  service 
he  contracted  typhoid  fever  and  died.  Matt,  then  a  boy  of  five, 
went  to  live  with  his  grandfather,  making  his  home  there  until 
his  grandfather's  death  in  1874. 

Supplies  for  the  stores  in  Warrensburg  were  shipped  by 
boat  on  the  Missouri  Kiver  to  Lexington  and  then  freighted 
thirty  miles  by  oxen  and  mule  teams,  a  trip  which  usually  took 
about  four  days.  INIatt,  on  his  first  trip  with  his  grandfather  to 
obtain  supplies,  can  remember  seeing  only  two  houses.  Land 
in  this  country  could  be  bought  from  the  government  for  twelve 
and  a  half  cents  or  a  "bit"  an  acre,  and  his  father  and  grand- 
father each  owned  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres. 

In  front  of  his  grandfather's  place  stood  a  "stile  block"  on 
which  women  would  step  when  getting  into  a  wagon  or  mounting 
a  horse.  Matt  sat  on  this  ancl  watched  General  Price's  army 
march  by  on  their  way  to  Lexington  where  a  battle  was  fought 
two  days  later.  ]\Iany  of  the  soldiers  were  barefoot,  carrying 
their  shoes  to  relieve  their  tired  feet. 

Young  Matt 's  boyhood  days  were  spent  on  the  farm  where  he 
helped  with  the  chores,  attended  school  in  the  old  log  school  house 
and  lived  the  ordinary  life  of  the  country  boy.  Fishing,  hunt- 
ing, visiting  the  old  swimming  hole  in  the  summer,  skating  and 

*BIOGRAPHIC'AL  SKETCH— Malcolm  S.  Campbell,  named  for  his 
famous  father,  the  first  sheriff  of  Converse  County,  was  the  youngest  of 
the  three  children  of  Malcolm  and  Priscilla  Campbell  and  was  born 
November  6,  1888,  at  Douglas,  AVyoming.  His  early  life  was  spent  riding 
the  range  in  central  Wyoming.  In  June  1914,  he  started  working  in  the 
Salt  Creek  Oil  Field  and  has  followed  that  profession  since. 

On  October  5,  1912,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Beta  Leach  at 
Altamont,  Illinois.  To  this  union  tive  children  were  born:  Edna  ^Mae 
of  Denver,  Colorado;  Dorothea  Louis  of  Lusk;  Malcolm  "Bud"'  L.  Avho 
is  with  the  armed  forces;  Richard  A.  and  Carol  Jean  at  home.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Campbell  have  made  their  home  at  Mule  Creek  Oil  Field,  Niobrara 
County,  for  the  past  twelve  years. 


214  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

''sorghum  taffy  pulls"  in  the  winter  were  his  recreations.  The 
shoes  Matt  wore  were  made  by  his  uncle  from  hides  tanned  by 
his  grandfather.  Homespun  clothes  and  hand-knit  socks  com- 
pleted his  wardrobe. 

At  this  time  the  hogs  were  turned  out  to  live  off  the  "mast"^ 
in  the  woods.  Consequently  they  became  wild  and  belonged  to 
anyone  who  was  lucky  enough  to  drop  one  with  a  well  aimed 
bullet.  Wild  turkeys,  deer,  quail,  squirrel  and  other  game  were 
plentiful. 

Young  Matt  worked  on  various  farms,  saving  what  little 
money  he  earned  with  but  one  object  in  mind.  With  the  blood 
of  that  frontiersman,  Daniel  Boone,  flowing  in  his  veins,  and 
as  a  result  of  reading  and  listening  to  the  stories  of  the  West, 
it  was  natural  that  as  soon  as  he  could  he  would  fulfill  his  boy- 
hood ambition,  to  go  AVest. 

The  West 

On  March  28,  1876,  he  boarded  a  train  with  a  ticket  to  Den- 
ver, Colorado,  in  his  pocket,  arriving  there  April  first.  Matt 
spent  several  days  taking  in  the  town  and  looking  for  work,  but 
hearing  so  much  about  Cheyenne,  Wyoming  Territory,  he  de- 
cided to  look  it  over,  arriving  there  April  fourth. 

Cheyenne  at  this  time  was  headquarters  for  nearly  all  the 
large  cattle  outfits  in  Wyoming  and  for  all  supplies  and  travel 
to  the  Black  Hills  where  gold  had  been  discovered  two  years 
earlier.  Matt  found  it  to  be  the  liveliest  place  he  had  ever  seen. 
Cowboys,  miners,  freighters,  railroaders,  gamblers  and  many 
others  made  up  the  population.  The  town  was  a  regular  bee- 
hive, active  night  and  day.  Much  credit  should  be  given  the 
administration  of  Cheyenne  at  that  time,  for  law  and  order  pre- 
vailed quite  well  considering  the  transient  population,  many  of 
whom  were  notorious  characters. 

Matt,  thrilled  with  the  excitement  of  his  first  introduction 
to  Wyoming,  decided  to  remain  and  hired  out  to  Street  and 
Thompson  who  were  running  a  freight  outfit  between  Cheyenne 
and  Custer,  Dakota  Territory.  His  first  load  contained  eighteen 
thousand  pounds  of  flour  drawn  by  a  ten  mule  team. 

On  this  first  trip  everything  went  well  until  they  were  about 
half  way  between  Running  Water,  the  present  site  of  Lusk,  and 
Hat  Creek  Station,  when  going  down  through  the  breaks  the 
wagon  train  was  attacked  by  Sioux  Indians.  The  wagon  boss 
ordered  a  retreat  back  up  the  hill,  but  bringing  up  the  rear  was 
a  driver  by  the  name  of  Croft  who  was  driving  four  horses  which 
had  been  sold  to  Heck  Reel  by  the  army  because  they  wouldn't 
stand  gun  fire.     When  the  shooting  began  the  horses  lived  up 


1.     The  fruit  of  the  oak  and  the  beech. 


MATTHEW  DOBSON  BROWN  215 

•.% 

to  their  reputations  and  the  driver  had  his  hands  fiilh  Croft 
talked  through  his  nose  in  such  a  peculiar  fashion  that  he  always 
brouglit  a  laugh  ' '  even  in  a  pinch. ' '  All  he  could  yell  was, 
"Come  and  kill  this  damned  Indian  before  he  kills  me,"  for 
one  Indian  had  singled  him  out  since  he  was  more  or  less  help- 
less as  a  defender.  The  main  obstacle  of  the  retreat  was  Croft 
and  his  outfit  who  were  blocking  the  way.  When  asked  by  the 
wagon  boss  why  he  didn't  get  started  back,  he  replied,  "My 
place  is  behind" — every  teamster  had  his  place  in  the  wagon 
train.  They  finalh^  succeeded  in  driving  off  the  Indians  and 
pulled  back  up  the  hill  where  they  went  into  camp  and  sent  a 
messenger  to  Fort  Laramie  for  help.  Captain  Egan  and  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers  arrived  a  few  days  later. 

The  wagon  train  started  on,  accompanied  by  the  soldiers 
as  far  as  Indian  Creek,  where,  as  nothing  had  happened,  the 
soldiers  stopped.  Soon  afterwards  the  wagon  train  met  approxi- 
mately two  hundred  and  fifty  men  returning  to  Cheyenne  from 
the  Black  Hills,  some  because  of  the  Indians  and  others  because 
there  was  no  flour  in  Custer  and  provisions  were  running  short. 
Learning  that  the  wagon  train  was  loaded  with  supplies,  the 
latter  group  started  back  with  the  freighters. 

As  the  wagon  train  pulled  to  the  top  of  a  hill  between  Cole 
and  Cottonwood  Creeks,  a  wagon  wheel  broke,  causing  a  halt  for 
repairs.  A  young  horse  wrangler  with  the  outfit,  who  had  ridden 
ahead  to  the  brow  of  a  hill  to  look  around,  returned  as  fast  as 
his  horse  could  carry  him  with  the  news  that  the  country  on  the 
other  side  was  swarming  with  Indians. 

The  wagon  boss  ordered  the  wagons  placed  in  a  circle  and 
sent  a  messenger  back  to  inform  Captain  Egan  of  their  predica- 
ment. A  half  hour  later  Indians  appeared  on  the  horizon  and 
started  circling  the  train,  gradually  working  in  closer  and  closer, 
exchanging  a  good  many  shots.  Suddenly,  as  Captain  Egau 
and  his  company  of  soldiers  came  into  sight,  the  Indians  started 
to  pull  out.  One  man  with  the  wagon  traiii  was  wounded  and 
two  or  three  Indians  were  killed.  The  soldiers  followed  the 
Indians  but  did  not  overtake  them,  for  thev  scattered  into  the 
hills. 

After  repairing  the  wheel  the  train  proceeded  on  to  the 
Cheyenne  River  Crossing,  the  present  site  of  Edgemont,  South 
Dakota.  Upon  arriving  there  they  learned  of  the  ]Metz  ]\Ias- 
sacre.  The  Metz  family,  on  their  way  from  Custer  to  Cheyenne, 
were  traveling  through  Red  Canyon  when  Indians  attacked  the 
party.  Seven  bodies  were  found:  four  men,  ]\Ir.  and  ^Irs.  ]\[etz 
and  a  colored  woman  who  had  tried  to  escape  and  whose  body 
was  found  a  half  mile  from  the  main  party.  ]\Iatt  and  the  other 
drivers  helped  bury  them  on  the  north  side  of  the  Cheyenne 
River.     In  later  vears  when  the  railroad  was  built  across  the 


216  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

site  some  of  the  skeletons  were  found  in  the  excavations  and 
scraped  into  the  grade. 

•  The  remainder  of  the  trip  to  Custer  and  the  return  to 
Cheyenne  were  without  incident,  and,  although  he  made  several 
trips  over  the  same  road,  Matt  found  the  first  to  be  the  most 
exciting.  He  also  freighted  government  supplies  from  Chey- 
enne to  Fort  Robinson,  Nebraska,  and  Fort  Fetterman. 

In  the  fall  of  1879  Street  and  Thompson  secured  a  contract 
to  haul  freight  from  Denver  to  Leadville,  Colorado.  They  sent 
Matt  Brown  and  his  string  team  on  this  job  and  he  worked  there 
until  the  spring  of  1880.  Arriving  back  in  Cheyenne  he  hired 
out  to  Arbuckle  and  Wiles,  freighting  from  Cheyenne  and  Sid- 
ney, Nebraska,  to  Fort  Robinson  and  Camp  Sheridan,  Nebraska, 
located  on  the  west  fork  of  Beaver  Creek,  twelve  miles  above  its 
mouth.  In  June  1880,  he  left  Sidney  with  a  stamp  mill  for  the 
Bald  Mountain  Milling  Company  of  Deadwood,  arriving  there 
on  July  fourth  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  big  celebration. 

The  Indians  made  several  attempts  during  these  years  to 
run  off  the  freighters'  stock,  but  guards  or  wranglers  stayed 
with  the  animals  whenever  they  were  turned  out.  These  Indians 
came  out  of  the  hills  in  small  bands  and  plied  the  country  be- 
tween Hat  Creek  Station  and  the  Black  Hills.  They  would  make 
an  attack  and  then  take  refuge  in  the  hills  where  they  were  safe 
since  these  were  their  "stomping  grounds."  Matt  tells  of  the 
Indians  killing  cattle  when  he  was  working  for  a  large  cattle 
outfit  in  the  '80 's.  They  Avould  come  out  of  the  hills  in  small 
numbers,  kill  a  calf  or  yearling,  skin  it,  spread  the  hide  on  the 
ground  and  build  a  fire  on  it.  This  would  burn  it  to  a  crisp  and 
obliterate  the  brand  and  markings. 

Matt  Brown  met  many  famous  characters  on  his  trips  to 
the  Black  Hills  and  Cheyenne.  He  was  personally  acquainted 
with  Mrs.  Anna  Tallant,^  a  well  educated  and  very  brilliant 
woman,  and  with  ' '  Wild  Bill ' '  Hickok,  ' '  Calamitj^  Jane, ' '  Lame 
Johnny  and  several  others  whose  names  he  has  forgotten. 

On  his  early  trips  it  was  a  common  sight  to  see  the  famous 
' '  Treasure  Coach ' '  of  the  Cheyenne-Deadwood  Stage  Line  carry- 
ing gold  from  Deadwood  to  Cheyenne  with  the  guards  accom- 
panying it.  During  the  years  1877-79,  Matt  remembers  hearing 
of  the  many  robberies  of  the  stage  line,  the  majority  of  which 
took  place  between  Cheyenne  River  and  Jenney's  Stockade.  The 
freight  outfits  left  the  stage  road  at  Hat  Creek  Station  and 
bore  northeast,  crossing  the  Cheyenne  River  where  Edgemont, 
South  Dakota,  is  now  located,  going  through  Red  Canyon  and 
north  to  Custer,  so  tliev  did  not  travel  the  road  on  which  these 


2.  Author  of  Blaclc  Hills  or  Last  Hwiting  Grounds  of  the  Dakotahs. 
She  was  the  first  white  woman  in  the  Black  Hills,  spending  the  winter 
of  1874-.5  there  with  her  husband  and  son. 


MATTHEW  DOBSON  BEOWN  217 

robberies  were  committed.  On  his  trips  through  the  hills  or  at 
road  houses  Matt  often  met  some  of  the  men  who  were  carrying 
on  these  depredations.  Lame  Johnny,  Wall,  Blackburn,  Lame 
Bradley  and  others  were  known  as  very  dangerous  and  mean 
men  who  were  loathe  to  mix  with  others  outside  their  own  clique. 
Lame  Johnny  wore  a  boot  with  a  very  high  heel  to  keep  from 
hobbling  too  much.  He  was  captured  by  a  party  of  men  in  the 
Black  Hills,  hanged  and  buried  on  the  spot. 

From  Freighter  to  Cowboy 

Matt  Brown  quit  freighting  in  February  1881,  and  took  a 
job  punching  cows  for  the  Union  Cattle  Company,  one  of  the 
largest  cattle  outfits  in  Wyoming  Territory.  The  company  was 
incorporated  with  a  capital  stock  of  three  million  dollars  in 
thirty  thousand  shares,  most  of  which  was  owned  by  eastern 
capital.  The  company  had  upwards  of  sixty  thousand  head  of 
cattle  and  several  ranches  with  a  range  extending  from  the 
Platte  River  on  the  south  to  the  Belle  Fourche  River  on  the  north 
and  from  the  Black  Hills  to  the  Powder  River.  Among  the 
brands  Matt  can  remember  are  the  S  &  G,  0-0,  Bridle  Bit,  A  U  7 
and  7  L.  In  one  year  they  branded  fifteen  thousand  head  of 
calves. 

Matt  was  sent  to  the  S  &  G  Ranch  which  was  located  on 
Beaver  Creek  near  the  present  site  of  Dewey,  South  Dakota. 
This  was  headquarters  for  approximately  twenty-five  cowboys 
who  worked  in  all  directions,  but  chiefly  westward  into  Wyo- 
ming. While  working  here.  Matt,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Lang 
and  "Old  Bob,"  the  foreman,  discovered  at  the  edge  of  the  hills 
a  cave  which  was  large  enough  to  hold  three  or  four  horses  in 
one  end  and  have  several  men  sleep  in  the  other.  From  appear- 
ances it  had  been  used  by  robbers  and  highwaymen  as  a  hiding 
place,  for  several  pieces  of  saddles  and  a  couple  of  guns  were 
cached  there.  When  asked  what  happened  to  the  relics.  Matt 
said  they  finally  disappeared,  where  he  does  not  know. 

Matt  was  sent  to  the  A  U  7  ranch  near  the  mouth  of  Snyder 
Creek  in  the  summer  of  1886  where  they  were  rounding  up  a 
large  herd  of  cattle  to  be  shipped  and  gathering  cows  and  calves 
to  be  separated  in  the  fall  so  that  the  calves  could  be  weaned. 
He  tells  of  a  Texan  by  the  name  of  Graham  who  was  also  at  the 
ranch.  During  a  quarrel  at  the  TOT  Ranch  Graham  had  killed 
a  man,  and  he  was  known  among  the  cowboys  as  "Deadeye," 
for  he  had  the  reputation  of  being  the  best  shot  in  the  country. 
The  cook  at  the  A  U  7  wanted  a  couple  of  roosters  for  dinner. 
"Deadeye"  asked  which  two  and  shot  their  heads  off  with  his 
six  shooter  as  they  were  pointed  out  to  him. 

By  the  last  of  October  the  cattle  were  rounded  up  and  the 
calves  separated  from  the  cows  for  weaning.     On  November  1. 


218  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

1886,  Curt  Spaugh,3  g^g  foreman  with  fourteen  men,  including 
Matt  Brown,  left  the  A  U  7  Ranch  with  three  thousand  head  of 
cattle,  enroute  to  Pine  Bluifs  for  shipment  to  Omaha.  The  first 
night  camp  was  made  at  the  U  L  A  Ranch  on  Lance  Creek.  After 
two  or  three  days  on  the  trail  the  weather  turned  very  cold  and  it 
started  to  snow,  continuing  to  storm  on  the  entire  trip  which 
took  several  days  longer  than  had  been  anticipated.  The  courage 
and  endurance  of  every  man  was  tested,  but  the  entire  crew 
stayed  on,  enduring  the  bitter  cold  and  deep  snow  and  loading 
the  cattle  on  the  cars  for  a  delayed  shipment.  Most  of  the  crew 
returned  to  the  S  &  G  Ranch,  arriving  there  on  December  twenty- 
fourth.  This  was  the  terrible  winter  of  1886-87  in  which  so 
many  cattle  died  on  the  range.  Losses  were  tremendous  and 
many  large  cattle  outfits  were  forced  out  of  business  in  the 
spring. 

In  the  fall  of  1887  Matt  left  the  employ  of  the  Union  Cattle 
Company  and  went  to  Custer,  South  Dakota.  On  February  10, 
1888,  he  started  working  for  John  Sires,  owner  of  the  21  Horse 
Ranch  which  was  located  on  the  Cheyenne  River  about  three 
miles  below  where  the  present  State  Highway  85  crosses  the 
river  between  Lusk  and  Newcastle.  Sires  had  served  in  the 
Mexican  War  under  Captain  McBriar  who,  when  he  fell  wound- 
ed at  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  handed  Sires  his  sword.  His 
last  words  were  "Carry  on  and  take  the  hill,"'  which  Sires  did, 
acquiring  for  himself  the  nickname  "Buena"  Sires.  Besides  the 
21,  he  also  owned  a  ranch  near  Lewiston,  Idaho,  where  on  May 
18,  1895,  he  was  shot  in  the  back  and  killed  while  feeding  stock 
in  his  barn. 

On  August  1,  1888,  Matt  left  the  21  Ranch  for  Three  Forks, 
Montana,  with  six  head  of  saddle  horses,  returning  on  Septem^ 
ber  twentieth  with  fifty  head  of  range  horses  which  belonged  to 
the  21.  During  the  entire  trip  he  carried  his  bedding  and  camp 
outfit  with  him  on  a  pack  horse,  spending  onh^  one  night  in  a 
house  during  that  time.  In  fact  he  traveled  two  weeks  without 
seeing  a  house  and  meeting  but  a  very  few  people.  On  his  return 
he  learned  that  the  foreman  of  the  21  outfit  had  taken  the  money 
sent  to  pay  wages  and  ranch  bills  and  left  the  country.  He  was 
afterwards  heard  of  in  South  America.  Matt  was  then  appointed 
range  foreman  for  the  companv  and  worked  in  that  capacity 
until  1897. 

John  T.  Williams  of  Douglas  was  appointed  administrator 
to  close  out  the  21  outfit  in  1897.  Jim  Williams  was  appointed 
range  manager,  and  Matt  helped  gather  and  ship  the  last  of  one 
of  the  largest  horse  outfits  in  Wyoming. 

In  1895  while  working  for  this  outfit.  Matt  filed  a  home- 
stead entry  on  the  land  on  which  the  ranch  buildings  were  located 


3.     Brother  of  A.  A.  Ppaugh,  pioneer  cattleman  of  Niobrara  County. 


MATTHEW  DOBSON  BEOWN  219 

and  which  is  still  his  home.  He  also  acquired  the  21  brand 
which,  with  the  7L,  are  the  only  old  cattle  or  horse  ranches  in 
this  locality  that  haven 't  been  abandoned. 

Early  Day  Ranches  and  Neighbors 

When  Matt  came  to  the  21  Ranch,  the  999  Ranch  located 
near  the  confluence  of  Lance  Creek  and  Cheyenne  River,  fifteen 
miles  distant,  was  his  nearest  neighbor.  The  999  was  the  gather- 
ing place  for  the  cowboys  for  many  miles  around,  as  it  was  cen- 
trally located  among  the  large  cattle  ranches. 

In  1892,  Albert  Herman,  accompanied  by  his  sister,  Mary, 
traveled  from  Wheatland  to  the  999  by  team  and  wagon,  Mr. 
Herman  and  Mr.  Trompeter  engaging  in  the  cattle  business 
there.  While  residing  here,  Mary  Herman  became  acquainted 
with  Matt  Brown.  They  were  united  in  marriage  on  December 
6,  1894,  at  Edgemont,  South  Dakota,  and  took  up  their  residence 
on  the  21  Ranch,  their  present  home. 

To  this  union  two  children  were  born.  Laurel  H.,  May  18, 
1896,  and  Matthew  J.,  January  20,  1911.  Laurel,  now  living  in 
Chicago,  Illinois,  where  he  is  employed  as  an  electrician,  served 
twenty-one  months  during  1918-19  with  the  A.E.F.  in  France. 
He  married  Mageleue  Peters  of  Edgemont,  South  Dakota,  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Martha  Theresa.  Matthew  who  resides 
in  Burbank,  California,  is  employed  at  the  Lockheed  Aviation 
plant.  He  is  married  to  Martilla  Wassenberger  of  Edgemont, 
South  Dakota,  and  they  also  have  one  daughter,  Mary  ]Martilla. 

In  their  early  life  on  the  ranch,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  had 
many  interesting  experiences.  There  were  alwaj^s  several  cow- 
boys staying  there  as  well  as  young  men,  "tenderfeet,"  who 
came  into  the  country  from  the  East.  They  relate  one  incident 
of  a  young  tenderfoot  who  had  come  to  the  ranch  to  work.  He 
rode  up  the  river  to  drive  some  saddle  horses  back  to  the  corral. 
Arriving  back  at  the  ranch  all  excited,  he  informed  ]Matt  there 
was  an  animal  up  in  the  pasture  with  a  cottonwood  tree  growing 
out  of  its  head.    Matt  says  the  boy  saw  a  large  bull  elk ! 

Many  Indians  stopped  at  the  ranch  as  they  were  traveling 
to  and  from  the  hills.  Among  these  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Brown  re- 
member Red  Cloud,  Stinking  Bear  and  Shut-The-Door.  a  very 
large  fellow  and  a  good  Indian.  A  large  corral  which  would 
hold  two  hundred  head  of  horses  was  located  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  house.  Around  this  were  always  to  be  found 
saddles,  ropes,  chaps  and  other  cowboy  paraphernalia,  but  noth- 
ing was  ever  stolen. 

A  few  years  after  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  settled  at  the  21 
Ranch,  new  neighbors  began  to  appear.  Mr.  Shay  and  family 
settled  on  the  Cheyenne  River  at  the  present  A.  W.  Sedgwick 
Ranch;  Kellv  Robison  and  familv  settled  between  ]\Ir.   Shav's 


220  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

and  the  21 ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  Baltzly  located  at  the  mouth 
of  Robbers  Roost ;  Chas.  Crawford  and  family  built  across  the 
river  from  the  Shays;  Fred  Dale  and  family  settled  on  the 
present  John  Phillip 's  place ;  Henry  Cooksey  and  family  located 
near  the  old  burnt  stage  station  on  the  Cheyenne  River.  The 
settling  of  these  pioneers  necessitated  the  building  of  the  first 
school  house  in  the  community.  It  was  built  of  logs  and  located 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  where  State  Highway  85  crosses 
the  Cheyenne  River. 

Matt  Brown  cast  his  first  vote  at  Sidney,  Nebraska,  in 
1880  when  James  A.  Garfield  was  elected  President.  His  first 
vote  cast  in  Wyoming  was  at  the  999  Ranch  in  1884.  When 
asked  who  the  candidates  were,  Matt  could  remember  only 
one,  Natt  Baker,  but  does  not  remember  for  which  office  he  was 
running. 

During  his  residence  in  this  locality,  Mr.  Brown  has  the 
distinction  of  living  in  three  different  counties  without  having 
moved :  Laramie  County  with  Cheyenne,  two  hundred  miles 
distant,  the  county  seat;  Laramie  being  divided.  Converse 
became  the  county  with  Douglas,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
miles  distant,  the  county  seat ;  again  with  Converse  County 
divided,  Niobrara  County  was  established  with  Lusk,  fifty-five 
miles  distant,  the  county  seat. 

Mr.  Brown  took  an  active  part  in  the  development  of  the 
Cheyenne  River  country  and  has  seen  it  grow  and  prosper  into 
the  thriving  community  it  is  toda3^  The  old  21  ranch  house, 
beautifully  located  among  the  large  cottonwood  trees  on  the 
Cheyenne  River,  is  a  reminder  of  early  days,  for  it  was  built 
in  1887.  A  herd  of  fine  white  faced  cattle  wearing  the  21  brand 
can  be  seen  grazing  in  the  nearby  pastures. 


DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT— 

The  first  building  in  the  city  of  Laramie  was  the  Frontier 
Index  Office  and  Frontier  Hotel?  (Alter,  Early  Utah  Journal- 
ism,  p.  155.) 

Mrs.  Cort  F.  Meyer  (Estelle  Reel)  was  the  first  woman  in 
the  United  States  elected  to  a  State  office?  In  1894  she  was 
elected  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  on  the  Republican 
ticket,  polling  the  largest  vote  ever  given  to  a  candidate  for 
state  office  in  Wyoming  up  to  that  time.  (Beach,  Women  of 
Wyoming,  p.  39.) 


HONORABLE  JOHN  W.  KINGMAN 

Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  Wyoming  Territory* 

I  was  born  in  Barrington,  New  Hampshire,  on  the  first  day 
of  January  1821.  My  maternal  ancestors  were  Brewsters, 
direct  descendants  of  Elder  William  Brewster  of  Mayflower 
memory.  In  June  1696  the  Indians  attacked  Portsmouth,  New 
Hampshire,  and  killed  and  captured  quite  a  number  of  the 
people.  The  wife  of  John  Brewster,  Sr.,  a  great  grandson  of 
Elder  William,  "was  found  by  her  friends  after  the  fight  and 
taken  up  for  dead.  Her  scalp  was  entirely  removed  from  her 
head,  and  a  fracture  made  in  the  cranium  by  a  tomahawk. 
But  she  survived  and  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-one  years." 
She  was  my  great  great  grandmother  and  was  the  ancestor 
of  all  the  Brewsters  of  New  Hampshire. 

The  family  connections  include  the  Waterhouses.  among 
whom  are  Professor  Benjamin  Waterhouse  of  Harvard  College, 
the  author  of  vaccination  in  America,  Professor  S.  Waterhouse 
of.  Washington  University  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  Captain 
Joseph  Hicks  of  Dover  and  Madbury  who  raised  a  company 
of  men  for  General  Wm.  Pepperell's  expedition  against  Louis- 
burg  in  1745.1 

On  my  father's  side  the  earliest  member  I  find  any  account 
of  is  William  Kingman,  my  great  grandfather,  who  bought 
a  farm  in  Barrington,  New  Hampshire,  in  1740.  He  married 
Elizabeth  Webster  in  Rye,  New  Hampshire,  in  1747.  She  was 
a  member  of  the  family  from  which  Daniel  Webster  descended 
and  lived  to  be  eighty-two  years  old.  So  I  claim  to  be  a 
Puritan  by  descent,  education  and  inclination. 

My  father  was  a  farmer,  and  when  I  was  four  years  old 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  Madbury,  formerly  a  part  of 
Dover,  New  Hampshire,  to  reside  on  a  farm  that  had  descended 
to  my  mother  from  her  grandfather,  Colonel  Joseph  Hicks, 
who  married  Lydia  Brewster  of  Portsmouth.  I  lived  there 
until  I  was  sixteen  years  old,  actively  engaged  in  the  work  of 
the  farm.  I  then  entered  Phillips  Exeter  Academy  to  prepare 
for  college.  After  two  years  at  the  Academy  I  entered  Har- 
vard College  as  a  freshman  in  our  class  of  1843.  My  college 
course  was  not  a  success  in  Latin  and  Greek,  for  I  never  liked 
those  studies  and  never  acquired  proficiency  in  either  of  them; 
in  mathejnatics  and  the  physical  sciences  I  was  more  successful 
and  made  good  progress,  graduating  with  honors  in  that 
department. 


NOTE:  Judge  Kingman  wrote  his  autobiography  in  IS97.  The 
manuscript  was  recently  given  to  the  State  Historical  Department  by 
his  grandson,  George   K.  Helbert,  of  Philadelphia,   Pennsylvania. 

1.     See  Appleton's  Cyclopaedia  of  Anwricaii  Biograplnj,  vol.  IV,  p.  721. 


222  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

As  soon  as  I  graduated  I  entered  the  office  of  Hon.  Daniel 
Webster  in  Boston  and  began  the  study  of  law  in  good  earnest.  I 
made  good  progress  there  and  attracted  the  favorable  notice  of 
Mr.  Webster,  to  Avhom  I  am  under  lasting  obligations  in  a 
great  variety  of  ways.  I  was  there  two  years,  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  and  then  settled  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  to  practice  law. 
I  was  making  some  progress  there,  but  the  hot  summers  proved 
inimical  to  my  constitution,  my  health  broke  down  and  I  was 
compelled  to  return  to  New  Hampshire  after  about  two  years 
of  suffering. 

I  began  practice  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  in  1847,  and 
in  1849  I  married  Mary  Spaulding  Christie,  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Hon.  Daniel  N.  Christie  of  Dover,  one  of  the  leading 
lawyers  of  New  Hampshire.  We  had  six  children,  three  boys 
and  three  girls. ^  One  of  the  girls  died  in  infancy  of  scarlet 
fever.  My  oldest  son  graduated  from  the  West  Point  Military 
Academy,  the  second  in  his  class,  and  is  now  about  to  receive 
his  commission  as  Major  in  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  in  which 
corps  he  has  won  distinction  and  been  employed  on  very  impor- 
tant government  work.  My  second  son  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  the  Ch,andler  School  and  is  now  studying  medicine  in 
the  leading  medical  school  in  Chicago.  My  third  son  graduated 
from  the  State  School  of  Mines  in  Colorado  and  as  a  mining 
engineer  is  now  settled  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  I  now  have 
seven  grandsons  and  one  granddaughter. 

When  the  war  broke  out  in  1861,  I  at  once  offered  my 
services  to  the  Governor  of  New  Hampshire  in  any  capacity 
in  which  he  could  employ  me  or  where  I  could  be  useful  to 
the  countr3^  He  said  he  ^vould  call  on  me  as  soon  as  the  occa- 
sion arrived,  and  in  the  summer  of  1862,  when  the  President 
called  for  three  hundred  thousand  nine  months  men,  he  gave 
me  a  commission  as  Colonel  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers.  I  was  sadly  deficient  in  military  skill 
and  had  but  an  elementary  knowledge  of  the  duties  of  the 
commander  of  a  regiment  in  active  warfare,  but  I  at  once 
entered  the  camp  at  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  and  applied 
myself  earnestly  to  acquire  a  familiarity  with  the  tactics,  to 
fit  myself  to  drill  my  new  volunteers  as  they  came  in,  to  get 
acquainted  with  my  officers  and  prepare  my  regiment  to 
march  to  the  front  when  we  should  be  called  for. 

I  found  I  had  a  most  excellent  class  of  both  officers  and 
men.  As  the  time  of  service  w^as  limited  and  of  short  duration 
and  as  the  patriotic  feeling  of  the  people  was  at  its  height, 
men  of  character  and  means  volunteered  to  fill  up  the  com- 
panies to  a  greater  extent  than  usual.     Henrv  W.  Blair  came 


2.     At  the  time  of  Judge  Kingman's  death,  three  children  survived 
him:  Mrs.  M.  G.  Helbert,  Major  D.  C.  Kingman  and  Helen  M.  Kingman. 


HONOEABLE  JOHN  W.  KINGMAN  223 

in  as  captain  of  a  fine  company  from  Plymouth  and  I  promoted 
him,  as  vacancies  occurred,  to  major  and  lieutenant  colonel. 
He  was  an  excellent  officer  and  has  since  been  U.  S.  Senator 
from  New  Hampshire.  John  W.  Ela  was  another  good  man 
and  a  capital  officer.  He  has  recently  distinguished  himself  as 
a  lawyer  in  Chicago  and  a  prominent  leader  in  the  civil  service 
movement  in  that  city.  Captain  Coggswell,  a  cousin  of  Gen- 
eral Coggswell  of  Massachusetts  and  a  recent  candidate  for 
governor  in  New  Hampshire,  was  another,  equally  earnest  and 
equally  deserving  as  a  man  and  an  officer.  I  mention  these 
only,  but  there  were  many  more  equally  deserving. 

With  such  help  I  could  not  fail.  They  overlooked  my 
blunders  and  sustained  my  authority  in  the  Regiment.  I  must 
record  a  single  instance  of  our  united  action  as  a  proof  of 
their  superior  character. 

Before  we  left  Concord  for  the  front  I  called  my  officers 
together  and  said  to  them  that  intemperance  was  growing  to 
be  a  great  evil  in  the  service,  that  I  wanted  them  all  to  unite 
with  me  in  signing  a  pledge  not  to  make  any  use  of  intoxi- 
cating liquors  during  our  term  of  serAdce,  that  I  had  procured 
a  ])ook  in  which  I  had  written  such  a  pledge  and  I  handed  it 
to  them  for  signature.  Every  officer  in  the  Regiment  signed 
it  willingly  and  honestly  kept  the  pledge.  That  book  is  uoav 
in  the  Headquarters  Cottage  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment  at  the 
Wiers  in  New  Hampshire.  As  a  result,  partly  at  least  due 
to  this  pledge,  we  never  had  any  bickerings  or  quarrels  among 
the  officers  or  any  insubordination  or  dissatisfaction  among 
the  men. 

In  November  1862  we  were  ordered  to  New  York  City 
to  join  General  Bank's  expedition,  and  subsequently  to  New 
Orleans  when  General  Butler  was  recalled.  We  went  into 
camp  at  Carrolton  near  New  Orleans  and  spent  the  winter 
and  early  spring  in  A'igorous  drilling  and  the  study  of  tactics. 
I]i  May  we  were  sent  up  the  river  to  join  in  the  seige  of  Port 
Hudson,  Louisiana.  Here  we  had  our  first  fight,  a  general 
assault  all  along  their  works.  The  attack  was  disastrous  in 
the  extreme.  We  failed  to  get  into  their  defenses  at  any  point, 
and  the  loss  to  us  in  killed  and  wounded,  especially  among 
the  officers,  Avas  terribly  severe.  After  that  we  settled  doAvn  to 
steady  digging  in  regular  approaches. 

In  June  another  assault  was  made,  but  with  like  unfor- 
tunate result  and  severe  loss  to  us  in  men  and  morale.  We 
continued  digging  and  advancing  our  approaches  until  early 
in  July,  when  General  Grant  sent  word  that  he  had  captured 
Vicksburg.  Then  Port  Hudson  surrendered,  giving  us  more 
men  as  prisoners  than  we  had  men  fit  for  duty  on  our  rolls. 
In   fact   the   climate   was   more  severe   on   our   men   than   the 


224  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

enemies'  bullets.  I  suffered  severely  most  of  the  time  and 
<3ame  home  with  my  system  poisoned  with  malaria  from  which 
it  required  years  to  recover. 

Our  period  of  enlistment  expired  some  time  before  the 
fall  of  Port  Hudson,  but  my  men  made  no  objection  on  that 
account.  We  were  there  to  assist  in  opening  the  Mississippi 
River,  and  we  stayed  and  worked  until  we  were  able  to  return 
home  by  sailing  up  that  river,  cutting  the  Confederacy  in 
twain.  We  were  mustered  out  at  Concord,  New  Hampshire, 
after  serving  about  eleven  months. 

I  resumed  the  practice  of  my  profession  until  the  spring 
of  1869,  when  General  Grant,  then  elected  President,  appointed 
me  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Wyoming 
Territory.  I  went  out  there  in  May  1869,  just  after  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  had  been  opened  for  travel.  All  the  new 
territorial  officers  arrived  about  the  same  time  and  we  organ- 
ized the  government  and  the  courts.  We  found  a  horrible 
condition  of  things.  Apparently  the  worst  men  and  women 
from  the  border  states  and  many  who  had  fled  from  the  relent- 
less draft  among  the  rebels  seemed  to  dominate  society.  The 
courts  were  powerless  to  enforce  the  criminal  laws  in  cases 
of  high  crimes.  It  was  a  common  remark  in  the  jury  room, 
"One  man  is  dead,  what  do  you  want  to  kill  another  for?" 

The  first  Legislature  convened  in  the  winter  of  1870.  The 
members  were  paid,  of  course,  by  the  U.  S.  Government,  but 
they  voted  themselves  a  large  additional  salary  out  of  the 
funds  of  the  Territory.  Application  was  made  to  the  court 
to  restrain  the  treasurer  from  paying  it.  The  Chief  Justice 
was  absent,  and  I  was  acting  in  his  place.  I  issued  a  per- 
emptory injunction  and  stopped  the  steal.  The  order  made 
a  good  deal  of  grumbling,  but  it  was  never  appealed  from  or 
revoked. 

Some  of  the  attorneys  were  wretched  characters.  I  sent 
two  of  them  to  prison  for  thirty  days  each  and  disbarred  two. 
These  all  left  the  Territory  and  never  came  back  again. 

The  most  important  event  that  occurred  in  the  early 
history  of  the  Territory  was  the  passage  of  an  act  enfranchis- 
ing the  women  and  giving  them  all  the  rights  of  male  citizens. 
This  was  done  by  that  first  Legislature,  but  with  very  little 
knowledge  of  what  they  were  doing  or  care  for  its  conse- 
quences. Some  said  it  would  make  a  noise  and  advertise  the 
Territory,  but  the  chief  reason  given  for  it  was  a  report  that 
the  Governor  was  opposed  to  it  and  would  veto  the  bill.  The 
Governor  was  in  fact  strongly  inclined  to  veto  it  and  would 
have  done  so  had  it  not  been  for  the  urgent  efforts  made  by 
Chief  Justice  Howe  and  myself  to  prevail  on  him  to  sign  it. 
We  labored  with  him  until  after  midnight,  presenting  all  the 


HONORABLE  JOHN  W.  KINGMAN  225 

arguments  we  could  think  of,  for  we  were  decidedly  in  favor 
of  it  as  a  matter  of  justice  as  well  as  of  expediency.  We  at 
last  convinced  him  and  he  signed  it. 

There  was  in  fact  very  little  public  sentiment  in  the 
Territory  at  that  time  in  favor  of  it  and  much  bitter  feeling" 
against  it.  This  feeling  showed  itself  at  the  first  session  of 
the  District  Court  after  the  passage  of  the  act.  This  Court 
was  to  be  held  at  Laramie  City  in  Judge  Howe's  district,  and 
the  county  officers,  thinking  to  throw  ridicule  on  the  act  and 
make  trouble  for  the  judge,  summoned  nearly  all  the  respect- 
able women  in  the  city  as  jurors,  making  both  the  grand  and 
petit  juries  largely  composed  of  women.  This  made  their 
husbands  furious,  as  they  looked  upon  it  as  an  insult  as  well 
as  an  outrage.  Threats  of  violence  were  made  unless  the 
Judge  would  discharge  all  the  women  at  once,  and  public  feel- 
ing was  aroused  to  a  dangerous  pitch.  Judge  Howe  and  I 
consulted  over  the  subject  and  agreed  that  the  women  had 
the  right  to  sit  as  jurors  and  should  not  be  driven  from  the 
exercise  of  it  without  their  consent.  Judge  Howe  insisted, 
however,  that  I  should  sit  with  him  and  take  part  in  holding 
the  Court.  When  ^ve  arrived  at  Laramie  City  we  found  excite- 
ment at  fever  heat.  Some  men  swore  that  their  wives  should 
not  go  to  the  Court  House,  and,  if  they  did,  should  never 
return  to  their  homes.  When  we  went  to  the  Court  House  it 
was  filled  with  a  curious  crowd,  some  to  enjoy  the  fun,  but 
most  of  them  angry  and  sullen.  The  women,  however,  were 
all  there  in  obedience  to  the  summons.  As  soon  as  court  was 
opened  Judge  Howe  announced  that,  as  this  was  a  new  and 
uiuisual  state  of  afiPairs,  he  would  not  require  any  woman  to 
serve  on  any  jury  against  her  will  or  without  her  free  consent, 
bat  that  if  any  of  them  chose  to  exercise  the  rights  which  tlie 
law  gave  them,  the  whole  power  of  Court  would  be  called  on 
to  protect  them,  and  if  any  one  presumed  to  insult  or  interfere 
with  any  woman,  either  in  the  court  room,  in  the  street 
or  at  their  homes,  they  would  be  visited  with  the  extremest 
penalty  in  the  power  of  the  Court  to  inflict.  He  then  called 
on  me  to  address  the  women  jurors.  I  told  them  that  they 
well  knew  how  utterly  unable  the  Courts  were  to  enforce  the 
criminal  laws,  in  conseciuence  of  the  unwillingness  of  such 
juries  as  we  had  been  having,  to  convict  anyone;  that  Ave 
believed  a  remedy  would  be  found  if  the  intelligent  and  moral 
women  would  come  forward  and  help  us  by  exercising  the 
new  powers  now  for  the  first  time  put  into  their  hands ;  that 
they  were  more  deeply  interested  in  sustaining  the  honest  and 
vigorous  enforcement  of  the  laws  than  any  other  class  of 
citizens ;  we  implored  them  to  aid  us  as  Judges  and  protect 
themselves  and  the  young  society  now  just  organizing  itself. 


226  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Judge  Howe  then  told  them  that  any  women  summoned 
a.s  jurors,  who  insisted  on  it,  might  be  excused,  but  he  hoped 
they  would  elect  to  remain  and  serve.  To  the  surprise  of  nearly 
every  one,  they  all  chose  to  remain  and  became  the  most  reliable, 
attentive  and  conscientious  jurors  we  ever  found.  After  that  we 
had  women  on  the  juries  as  long  as  I  remained  on  the  bench. ^ 

The  first  Legislature,  in  order  to  put  their  friends  into 
office  throughout  the  Territorj^  had  undertaken  to  oust  all  the 
county  officers  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  G-overnor  under 
the  Organic  Act,  creating  the  Territory,  and  legislated  a  new 
set  of  men,  by  name,  into  every  office  in  every  county.  The 
question  of  their  power  to  do  this  in  that  way  came  before  me. 
I  held  the  acts  to  be  in  violation  of  the  Organic  Act,  and 
therefore  null  and  void,  and  that  until  an  election  could  be 
held  the  Governor  must  fill  the  offices  by  appointment. 

This  was  another  clash  with  legislation  which  it  seemed 
to  be  my  fortune  to  execute. 

The  operation  of  the  Woman  Suffrage  Act  was  beneficial 
and  satisfactory  from  the  beginning,  particularly  so  at  all  the 
elections.  The  majority  of  the  women  voted,  and  quiet  and 
orderly  elections  were  uniform  as  soon  as  the  women  appeared 
at  the  polls.  They  took  no  part  at  the  nominating  caucus,  but 
after  the  votes  were  cast  a  general  surprise  was  experienced. 
Some  men  on  each  ticket  would  be  elected  by  large  majorities 
and  some  on  each  ticket  would  be  defeated  by  like  majorities, 
so  that  it  became  a  constant  question  in  all  the  caucuses,  "Will 
the  women  vote  for  this  candidate  ? ' ' 

The  woman  suffrage  act  grew  in  popularity,  but  not  with 
the  leaders.  They  could  not  count  the  votes  before  they  were 
cast,  as  had  been  their  custom,  and  they  resolved  to  repeal  it. 
When  the  second  Legislature  was  elected  they  secured  a  ma- 
jority in  both  branches,  but  not  a  large  majority,  and  they 
promptly  repealed  the  Act.  The  Governor  as  promptly  vetoed 
their  bill,  and  from  that  time  on  there  was  never  a  voice  or 
vote  raised  against  the  Woman  Suffrage  Act  in  Wyoming.  The 
principle  is  correct  and  just;  it  has  commended  itself  to  several 
of  the  adjoining  States  and  will,  I  trust,  be  adopted  in  every 
State  in  the  Union  at  no  distant  day. 

I  cannot  help  regarding  the  part  I  took  in  securing  the 
passage  of  the  Woman  Suffrage  Act,  in  giving  it  vital  force 
and  effect  and  in  preserving  its  perpetuation  and  popularity 
as  the  most  creditable  act  of  my  life. 

After  serving  one  term  of  four  years  on  the  Supreme 
Bench,  I  commenced  the  practice  of  law  at  Laramie  City, 
which  I  pursued  for  a  few  years   only.     I  then  made  some 


3.    .Judge  Kingman  served  as  Associate  Justicfi  from  April  6,  1869,  to 
March  20,  1873. — Wyoming  Beports,  vol.  2,  preface. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  227 

investments  in  cattle  and  horses  in  connection  with  my  second 
son,  but  we  sold  out  after  a  few  years  and  removed  to  Cedar 
Falls,  Iowa,  where  we  engaged  in  manufacturing.^  Our  invest- 
ments here  were  very  satisfactory  and  profitable  until  the 
free  trade  tariff  prostrated  or  destroyed  nearly  all  the  busi- 
ness of  the  country. 

While  1  was  living  in  Wyoming,  at  the  request  of  Mrs. 
Stanton  and  Miss  Susan  B.  Anthony,  I  wrote  a  pretty  full 
account  of  the  Woman  Suffrage  Act  and  its  practical  operation 
in  Wyoming  Territory,  which  they  published,  I  think,  in  the 
fourth  volume,  of  their  History  of  Woman  Suffrage  in  America.^ 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES 
Cities  and  Towns 

(Continued) 

Alamo,  Big  Horn  County.  Named  in  honor  of  the  old 
Texas  Alamo  by  a  Texan  named  Shaffer,  who  ran  the  post  office 
and  a  ferry  here.  Located  at  the  present  site  of  Manderson. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Albin,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  John  Albin  Anderson, 
the  town's  first  postmaster. — Wyoming  Statesman,  January  17, 
1935. 

Alcova,  Natrona  County.  So  named  because  it  is  a  nest  of 
■coves.* 

Alpine,  Lincoln  County.  The  mountain  peaks  invest  the 
point  with  an  Alpine  beauty. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Anchor,  Hot  Springs  County.  Named  for  the  brand  of  C.  E. 
Blonde. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

AndersonvilIjE,  Hot  Springs  County.  Named  for  the  An- 
derson brothers  who  homsteaded  the  land.  It  was  located  across 
the  river  from  the  old  town  of  Thermopolis  and  deserted  when 
Thermopolis  was  founded. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Antelope,  Uinta  Comity.  A  station  on  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  where  antelope  were  common  at  the  time  the  railroad 
was  built. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Arland,   Park   County.     Early  town   on   Meeteetse   Creek 


4.  Judge  Kingman  resided  in  Cedar  Falls  for  twenty  years  where 
he  was  connected  with  the  paper  mills  and  the  oat  meal  mills.  He 
passed   away   there  in  December   1903,  at  the  age   of  eighty-two   years. 

5.  Page  1092. 

*An  asterisk  (*)  indicates  that  the  material  has  been  taken  from  the 
jiianuscript  files  of  the  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department. 


228  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

named  for  Vic  Arland,  cattleman.  Town  buildings  were  moved 
to  Meeteetse  in  1896. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Archer,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  a  member  of  an  engi- 
neer corps  which  was  attacked  by  Indians  when  the  group  was 
surveving  for  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  in  1867. — ANNALS 
OF  WYOMING,  July  1940,  p.  243. 

Arvada,  Sheridan  County.  Originally  known  as  Suggs. 
The  name  was  changed  by  officials  of  the  Burlington  when  a 
station  was  established  here. — Wj^oming  Writers 'Project. 

Aspen,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  Aspen  or  Quaking  Aspen 
HiU  nearby. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

AsPENTUNNEL,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  tunnel  through  Aspen  Mountain. — Lorin  Guild,  Chey- 
enne, Wyoming. 

Atlantic  City,  Fremont  County.  Waters  near  the  crest  of 
the  Continental  Divide  run  towards  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  town. — AVyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Bairoil,  Sweetwater  County.  Named  for  the  Bair  Oil  Com- 
pany when  that  company  built  a  camp  at  this  site. — Wyoming 
Writers'  Project. 

Barnum,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  the  family  who 
established  the  Barnum  post  office. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Beckton,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  George  T.  Beck 
who  owned  the  land  on  which  Beckton  is  located. — Wyoming 
Writers'  Project. 

Beckwith,  Lincoln  County.  Named  for  A.  C.  Beckwith, 
original  owner  of  the  Beckwith  and  Quinn  Ranch. — Wyoming- 
Writers'  Project. 

Bedford,  Lincoln  County.  Named  by  Bishop  Preston  of  the 
Mormon  Church  for  his  former  home. — Wyoming  Writers'' 
Project. 

Bertha,  Campbell  County.  Named  for  Mrs.  Bertha  Pool,, 
postmistress. — Wyoming  AVriters'  Project. 

Beulah,  Crook  County.  A  post  office  named  by  seven  fam- 
ilies on  ranches  located  on  Sand  Creek  in  1881. — Wyoming  Writ- 
ers' Project. 

Big  Muddy,  Converse  County.  Named  from  a  nearby  stream 
which  was  a  translation  from  the  name  given  it  by  the  early 
French  traders,  "Grande  riviere  vaseuse"  (Great  Muddy 
River).* 

Big  Piney,  Sublette  County.  Named  because  of  its  nearness 
to  the  junction  of  the  Big  Piney  Creeks. — Wj^oming  Writers' 
Project. 

Big  Trails,  Washakie  County.  Named  for  the  four  main 
trails  which  lead  to  the  site  from  the  four  main  points  of  the 
compass. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Bill,   Converse  County.     Named  for  the  men  who  helped 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  229 

establish  the  post  office,  as  the  given  name  of  several  of  the  men 
was  Bill. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Bishop,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  Marvin  T.  Bishop, 
former  president  of  the  Natrona  County  Woolgrowers  Associa- 
tion.* 

Bitter  Creek,  Sweetwater  County.  Located  on  Bitter 
Creek.— Crofutt,!  p.  77. 

Blairtown,  Sweetwater  County.  Named  for  Archibald  and 
Duncan  Blair,  brothers.  By  1875  Rock  Springs  had  completely 
absorbed  the  little  town. — History  of  the  Union  Pacific  Coal 
Mines,  1868-1940,  pp.  46-49. 

Bonanza,  Big  Horn  County.  The  site  was  thought  by  early 
prospectors  to  carry  rich  mineral  values,  especially  oil. — AVyo- 
ming  Writers'  Project. 

Border,  Lincoln  County.  Located  on  the  border  line  be- 
tween Idaho  and  Wyoming. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

BosLER,  Albany  County.  Named  for  Frank  C.  Bosler  of 
Carlyle,  Pennsylvania,  owner  of  the  Diamond  Ranch  near  the 
town. — ^Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

BoxELDER,  Converse  County.  Derives  its  name  from  nearby 
Boxelder  Creek. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Bryan,  Sweetwater  County.  Named  for  a  civil  engineer  on 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  who  went  to  Green  River  in  1868. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

BucKNUM,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  C.  K.  Bucknum, 
early  Wyoming  pioneer,  who  was  prominent  in  business  and  civic 
life  of  Casper  and  the  owner  of  a  large  ranch  near  the  town.* 

Buffalo,  Johnson  County.  One  version  of  the  origin  of 
this  name  was  presented  in  the  ANNALS  OF  WYO^MING  for 
April  1942.  Two  other  versions  are  given  in  Bartlett's  History 
of  Wyoming  on  page  564.  The  first  states  that  the  name  was 
given  by  Alvin  J.  McCray  who  was  born  in  Buffalo,  New  York. 
The  second  story  states  that  several  houses  had  been  erected 
before  a  name  was  selected.  Each  man  wrote  his  choice  on  a 
slip  of  paper,  deposited  it  in  a  hat,  and  the  name  Buffalo  was 
drawn.  William  Hart,  a  native  of  Buffalo,  New  York,  claimed 
he  deposited  that  slip  in  the  hat. 

BuFORD,  Albany  County.  Named  after  old  Fort  Buford. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Burlington,  Big  Horn  County.  At  one  time  it  was  thought 
that  the  Burlington  Railroad  would  build  its  road  that  far. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Cadoma,  Natrona  County.  Indian  word  which  means  "to 
hide  "  or  "  to  secrete. '  '* 

Cambria,  Weston  County.  The  ancient  name  of  Wales 
meaning  "land  of  mountains."* 


1.     Trans-Continental   Tourist's  Guide. 


230  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Camp  Augur,  Fremont  County.  Located  at  the  present  site 
of  Lander,  established  in  1869  and  named  for  General  C.  C. 
Augur. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Camp  Brown,  Fremont  County.  Formerly  Camp  Augur. 
Renamed  on  March  28,  1870,  in  honor  of  a  young  lieutenant 
killed  in  the  Fetterman  Massacre. — Beard,^  vol.   I,   page   235. 

Camp  Carlin,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  Colonel  E.  B. 
Carling  and  later  misspelled.  Renamed  Cheyenne  Depot  soon 
after  its  establishment. — Recruit  News,  Histories  of  Army  Posts, 
1924,  p.  24. 

Camp  Connor,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  General  P.  E. 
Connor  who  commanded  a  part  of  the  Powder  River  Expedition. 
Later  Fort  Reno. — Beard,  p.  149. 

Camp  Stambaugh,  Fremont  County.  Named  for  a  lieu- 
tenant of  the  second  cavalry  who  was  killed  on  May  10,  1870,  in 
an  engagement  with  the  Indians  on  Stambaugh  Creek.  Estab- 
lished June,  1870. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Camp  Stool,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  a  cattle  brand. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Camp  Walbach,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  General  J. 
B.  Walbach. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Carbon,  Carbon  County.  Named  because  of  the  large  de- 
posits of  coal  located  here.  Now  a  ghost  town. — History  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Coal  Mines,  1868-1940,  p.  28. 

Carpenter,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  J.  Ross  Carpenter 
who  brought  settlers  there  from  Iowa.  Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Carroll,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  the  first  postmis- 
tress, Minnie  Carroll. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Centennial,  Albany  County.  Gold  was  found  here  in  1876, 
the  centennial  year. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Cheney,  Teton  County.  The  post  office  was  started  by  Selar 
Cheney. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Clareton,  Weston  County.  Named  for  an  early  rancher 
in  the  region. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Clifton,  Weston  County.  Named  for  the  red  cliffs  in  the 
vicinity. — Wyoming  Writers '  Project. 

Coffee  Siding,  Converse  County.  Named  for  Charles  F. 
Coffee,  a  banker  and  cattleman  of  the  vicinity.* 

CoKEViLLE,  Lincoln  County.  Originally  called  "Smith's 
Fork,"  but  the  name  was  changed  to  Cokeville  because  of  the 
large  deposits  of  coking  coal  nearby. — ^Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Cold  Springs,  Weston  County.  Named  for  the  big  springs 
that  gush  from  the  canyon  nearby. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 


2.     Wyoming  From  Territorial  Bays  to  the  Present. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  231 

CopPERTON,  Carbon  County.  Named  for  the  copper  taken 
from  the  nearby  mountain. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Cowley,  Big-  Horn  County.  Named  after  an  early  Mormon 
settler,  Mathias  Cowley,  who  settled  there  in  1900. — Frank  J. 
Willis,  Cowley,  Wyoming.* 

Creighton,  Johnson  County.  Named  in  1878  for  Tom 
Creighton,  postmaster  and  stage  station  agent. — Wyoming  Writ- 
ers' Project. 

Creston,  Sweetwater  County.  It  is  located  on  the  crest  of 
the  Rockies. — The  Pacific  Tourist ^^  p.  94.* 

Crosby,  Hot  Springs  County.  Named  for  a  Mormon  pio- 
neer, Jesse  W.  Crosby. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Cumberland,  Lincoln  County.  First  called  Little  Muddy 
from  a  nearby  stream,  but  later  named  for  the  Cumberland 
mines. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Cummins  City,  Albany  County.  Named  for  a  mining  pro- 
moter who  absconded  to  Texas.  The  name  was  later  changed  to 
Jelm. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project.* 

Dad,  Carbon  County.  Named  for  Dad  Carlett,  rancher  in 
the  vicinity. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Daniel,  Sublette  County.  Named  for  an  early  settler  by 
the  name  of  Daniel.* 

Dayton,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  Joe  Dayton  Thoru. 
— Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byron.* 

Dennison,  Fremont  County.  Named  for  R.  V.  Dennison, 
widely  known  cattleman  in  the  area  and  postmaster  of  the  town 
which  was  located  on  his  ranch.— Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Depot  M 'Kinney,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  Lieutenant 
McKinney  killed  in  the  Dull  Eaiife  Battle  on  Red  Fork  of  Pow- 
der River,  November  2G,  1876. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Diamondville,  Lijicoln  County.  Named  for  the  Diamond 
Coke  and  Coal  Company.* 

Dickie,  Hot  Springs  County.  Named  for  the  Dickie  Broth- 
ers, owners  of  the  property. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Dietz,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  C.  M.  Dietz  of  Omaha, 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  Dome  Lake  Club.* 

Difficulty,  Carbon  County.  Named  for  a  creek  nearby 
which  received  its  name  from  a  group  of  men  who,  in  looking 
for  some  stolen  horses,  became  mired  in  the  stream. — -Wyoming 
Writers'  Project. 

Dillon,  Carbon  County.  Named  for  INIalachi  W.  Dillon, 
owner  of  a  coal  mine. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Dines,  Sweetwater  County.  Court  and  Dines  were  the 
original  owners  of  the  coal  company  here. — Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 


3.     By  Adams  and  Bishop,  published  in  1SS5,  a  copy  of  whioh  is  iu  the 
reference  library  of  the  Wyoming  State  Historiciil  Department. 


232  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Douglas,  Converse  County.  Named  in  honor  of  Senator 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  of  Illinois,  Abraham  Lincoln's  opponent  in 
the  famous  Lincoln-Douglas  debates. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  284.* 

Dubois,  Fremont  County.  Named  by  the  Post  Office  Depart- 
ment. Several  names  were  sent  in  but  Dubois  was  decided  upon. 
Senator  Dubois  of  Idaho  v/as  prominent  at  that  time  and  the 
name  was  given  for  him.* 

Dull  Center,  Converse  Count.v.  Several  families  by  the 
name  of  Dull  settled  here. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Du  NoiB,  Fremont  County.  Taken  from  the  French  mean- 
ing ''of  black,"  probably  from  the  black  rock  formations  in  the 
area. — AVyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Durham,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  an  old  settler  by 
that  name. — ^ Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Eadsville,  Natrona  County.  Charles  W.  Eacls  filed  on 
twenty  acres  of  land  on  top  of  Casper  Mountain.  After  a  wild 
gold  boom  the  town  died. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Eden,  Sweetwater  County.  Named  by  the  Mennonites,  who 
settled  there,  as  a  "Land  of  Promise." — AVyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Elkhurst,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  the  wild  animals 
which  were  so  plentiful  at  the  time  of  the  building  of  the  rail- 
road.— E.  A.  Stone,  Uinta  County,  p.  88. 

Elk  Mountain,  Carbon  County.  Named  after  the  range  of 
mountains  a  few  miles  south.* 

Elkol,  Lincoln  County.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  word 
"elk"  from  Elk  Mountain  nearby. — ^Wyoming  Writers'  Project 

Embar,  Hot  Springs  County.  Named  for  the  Captain  R.  A. 
Torrey  cattle  brand. — Lindsay,  The  Big  Horn  Basin,  p.  104. 

Emblem,  Big  Horn  County.  Known  as  Germania  until  the 
World  War  of  1914-1918  at  which  time  the  new  name  was 
adopted. — Wyoming  Guide,  p..  334. 

Encampment,  Carbon  County.  It  was  here  the  grand 
encampment  of  the  Indians  was  located  for  the  season's  hunting.* 

Ervay,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  Jake  Ervay,  an  early 
pioneer,  and  located  at  the  place  he  homesteaded  in  the  80 's.* 

Etna,  Lincoln  County.  Named  bj^  Bishop  Carl  Cook  who 
suggested  the  name  because  it  was  short  and  easy  to  pronounce. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

EvANSTON,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  John  Evans,  a  sur- 
veyor on  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.* 

Fairview,  Lincoln  County.  Named  by  the  Mormon  settlers 
for  the  view  its  location  affords  of  the  entire  valley. — Wyoming 
Writers'  Project. 


4.  Wyoming,  a  Guide  io  Its  History,  Highways,  and  People,  compiled 
by  workers  of  the  Writers'  Pro-am  of  the  Work  Projects  Administration 
in  the   State  of  Wyoming;    State   Supervisor,   Mrs.   Agnes  Wright   Spring. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  233 

Farson,  Sweetwater  County.  John  Farson,  Chicago  broker, 
was  one  of  the  first  to  start  the  reclamation  project  in  this  dis- 
trict.— Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

FiLMORE,  Albany  County.  Named  in  honor  of  a  former 
division  superintendent  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad. — Pacific 
Tourist,  p.  94. 

Fisher,  Converse  County.  Named  for  F.  H.  Fisher,  owner 
of  the  XH  cattle  ranch  in  that  vicinit^^* 

Flattop,  Platte  County.  Named  for  a  nearby  mountain 
with  a  level  top  which  stands  out  in  contrast  to  surrounding 
peaks. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

FontenelijE,  Lincoln  County.  Lucien  Fontenelle  was  one 
of  the  early  trappers  with  the  American  Fur  Company. — Beard, 
vol.  I,  p.  49. 

Fort  Augur.    See  Camp  Augur. 

Fort  Bonneville,  Sublette  County.  Built  in  1832  by  Cap- 
tain B.  L.  E.  Bonneville. — Beard,  vol.  I,  p.  42. 

Fort  Brow^n,  See  Camp  Brown. 

Fort  Bridger,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  James  Bridger 
who,  with  Benito  Vasquez,  established  the  fort  in  1842. — Beard, 
vol.  I,  p.  42. 

Fort  John  Bupord,  Albany  County.  Named  for  General 
John  Buford,  killed  December  16,  1863.  Later  Fort  Sanders.— 
Wyomimg  Guide,  p.  317. 

Fort  Caspar.    See  Casper. 

Fort  Fetterman,  Converse  County.  Named  for  Lieutenant 
Colonel  W.  J.  Fetterman,  killed  by  the  Indians  in  1866.* 

Fort  Halleck,  Carbon  County.  Established  in  1862  and 
named  for  Major  General  H.  W.  Halleck. — Wyoming  Guide,  p. 
237. 

Fort  Laramie,  Goshen  County.    See  Laramie  County. 

Fort  Mackenzie,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  General 
MacKenzie,  one  of  the  captors  of  the  Cheyennes  under  Dull 
Knife  in  the  Hole-in-the-AVall  country  in  the  fall  of  1876. — ^Wyo- 
ming  Writers'  Project. 

Fort  McKinney,  Johnson  County.     See  Depot  M  "Kinney. 

Fort  Phil  Kearny,  Johnson  County.  Called  Fort  Carring- 
ton  for  a  time  in  honor  of  Colonel  H.  B.  Carrington.  Named  for 
Philip  Kearny. — Wyoming  AVriters'  Project. 

Fort  Reno,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  General  Jesse  L, 
Reno,  a  hero  of  the  Civil  War. — Hebard  and  Brininstool,  Boze- 
man  Trail,  vol.  1,  p.  265. 

Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Laramie  County.  Established  by  the 
Government  in  1867  and  named  for  General  David  A.  Russell, 
killed  in  the  Civil  War.  (Now  Fort  Francis  E.  Warren.^— Re- 
cruiting News,  Histories  of  Army  Posts,  1924,  p.  24. 

Fort  Sanders.  Albanv  Countv.     Named  for  Brig.  General 


234  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Wm.  P.  Sanders  of  Mississippi  who  was  killed  at  Knoxville,  Ten- 
nessee, November,  1863. — Beard,  vol.  I,  p.  172. 

Fort  Stambaugh.   See  Camp  Stambaugh. 

Fort  Fred  Steele,  Carbon  County.  Established  in  1868 
and  named  for  Major  General  Frederick  Steele  of  Civil  War 
fame. — Bartlett,^  vol.  I,  p.  321. 

Fort  Supply,  Uinta  County.  Organized  by  John  Nebeker 
in  1853  as  an  agricultural  settlement  to  supply  Mormon  emi- 
grants.-— Wyoming  AVritexs'  Project. 

Fort  Walbach.    See  Camp  Walbach. 

Fort  Francis  E.  Warren,  Laramie  County.  Named  for 
Senator  Francis  E.  Warren  in  1930.  Formerly  called  Fort  D.  A. 
E-usselL* 

Fort  Washakie,  Fremont  County.  Named  for  Chief  Wash- 
akie of  the  Shoshoni  Indians.    Formerly  Camp  Brown.* 

Fort  William,  Goshen  County.  Named  for  William  Sub- 
lette, one  of  the  founders  of  the  fort.  Later  became  Fort  Lar- 
amie.— Bartlett,  vol.  I,  p.  306. 

Fort  Yellowstone,  Yellowstone  National  Park.  Named 
because  of  its  location  in  the  Park.  Formerly  Camp  Sheridan. 
— ^2921,  House  Executive  Documents  1,  part  5,  pp.  173 ;  550. 

Fossil,  Lincoln  County.  Named  for  the  nearby  Fossil  Cliffs 
which  contain  fossil  fish  beds. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  249. 

Fortunatus,  Sheridan  County.  Old  mining  camp  known 
as  "the  city  of  broken  hearts." — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Frannie,  Park  County.  Named  for  Frannie  Morris,  daugh- 
ter of  Jack  Morris,  earl/  settler.— ANNALS  OF  WYOMING, 
January  1941,  p.  49. 

Freedom,  Lincoln  County.  When  the  Government  issued 
a  manifesto  in  1890  banning  polygomy  among  the  Mormons, 
Idaho  was  a  territory  and  therefore  under  federal  rule,  while 
Wyoming  had  just  become  a  state  and  was  not  inclined  to  molest 
the  Mormons.  As  a  result  when  federal  agents  swooped  down 
upon  the  Mormons,  they  merely  stepped  across  the  street  into 
Wyoming  and  called  the  place  Freedom.* 

F'reeland,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  Bill  Freeland  who 
came  from  Philadelphia  and  settled  in  Bates  Park.* 

Frontier,  Lincoln  Count5^  This  name  was  given  as  sugges- 
tive of  its  geographic  location.* 

Garland,  Park  County.  Named  for  J.  W.  Garland,  forest 
ranger  in  1901. — ^ Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Garrett,  Albany  County.  Named  for  Thuel  S.  Garrett,  an 
early  freighter  in  AVyoming. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Gebo,  Hot  Springs  County.  Named  for  Sam  Gebo,  a  pro- 
moter of  the  surrounding  coal  properties. — Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 


5.     History  of  Wyoming. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  235 

Germania,  Big  Horn  County.  The  name  suggests  the  na- 
tivity of  the  population  making  the  first  fili)igs  on  the  land. 
Changed  to  Emblem  during  the  World  War. — Lindsay,  The  Big 
Horn  Basin,  p.  191. 

Gillette,  Weston  County.  Named  for  E.  Gillette,  civil  en- 
gineer who  directed  the  construction  of  the  Billings  line  for  the 
Burlington.* 

Glencoe,  Lincoln  County.  Named  for  the  town  of  Glencoe, 
Scotland,  by  Thomas  Sneddon,  mine  superintendent  for  the  Dia- 
mond Coke  and  Coal  Company. — AVyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Glenrock,  Converse  County.  Named  from  the  fur  traders' 
and  trappers'  name  for  a  large  rock  that  had  been  a  sentinel  for 
generations  to  travelers  over  this  part  of  the  country.* 

Goose  Egg,  Natrona  County.  Takes  its  name  from  the  Goose 
Egg  Ranch  which  was  made  famous  in  Owen  Wister's  book.  The 
Virginian.  The  Goose  Egg  was  the  brand  of  the  Searight  Broth- 
ers.— Wyoming  Guide,  pp.  383-4. 

Gramm,  Albany  County.  Named  for  Otto  Gramm  who  was 
in  the  tie-cutting  business  in  the  vicinity. — Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Granger,  Sweetwater  County.  Named  after  an  early  set- 
tler.* 

Granite  Canyon,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  the  heaps 
and  ridges  of  stone  that  mark  the  country  side. — Wyoming 
Guide,  p.  232. 

Green  River,  Sweetwater  County.  Named  for  the  river 
which  in  turn  receives  its  name  from  the  green  shale  through 
which  it  flows. — Pacific  Tourist,  p.  99. 

Greub,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  John  Greub.  The  post 
office  was  always  maintained  at  his  ranch  on  the  Middle  Fork  of 
Crazy  Woman  and  Mrs.  Greub  was  postmistress  until  the  office 
was  discontinued. — J.  Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee,  AYyoming. 

Greybull,  Big  Horn  County.  Named  after  the  Greybull 
River  which,  legend  relates,  was  named  for  a  strangely  colored 
gray  buffalo  bull  that  ranged  up  and  clown  the  river  in  defiance 
of  hunters  who  sought  to  kill  him.  Indian  pictographs  on  a  cliff 
overhanging  the  river  represent  a  buffalo  bull  with  an  arrow 
through  his  body. — Wyo)ning  Guide,  p.  334. 

Grover,  Lincoln  County.  Named  for  Jacob  Grover.  early 
Mormon  pioneer. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Grovont,  Teton  County.  The  name  is  a  corruption  of  Gros 
Ventre. — Wyoming  Writers"  Project. 

Guernsey,  Platte  County.  Named  for  Charles  A.  Guernsey, 
early  pioneer,  cattleman  and  business  man  who  developed  the 
mines  in  the  Hartville  and  Sunrise  districts. — Progressive  Men. 
of  Wyoming,  p.  486. 


236  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

GuNN",  Sweetwater  County.  Named  for  George  E.  Gunn, 
first  president  of  the  Gunn  Quealy  Coal  Company.* 

Hamilton,  Hot  Springs  County.  Dr.  Hamilton  was  the  dis- 
coverer and  first  owner  of  the  site. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Hampton,  Uinta  Countj^.  A  ranchman  by  the  name  of 
Hampton  settled  here  in  the  early  days. — Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Hams  Fork,  Lincoln  County.  Located  on  Hams  Fork  of 
the  Green  River. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Hanna,  Carbon  County.  Named  for  Mark  A.  Hanna. — His- 
tory of  the  Union  Pacific  Coal  Mines,  1868  to  1940,  p.  113. 

Hartville,  Platte  County.  Named  for  Colonel  Verling  K. 
Hart.* 

Hat  Creek,  Niobrara  County.  Probably  named  because  of 
the  headdress  of  a  friendly  Indian. — ^ Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Hazelton,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  Hazel  Smith, 
daughter  of  Tom  and  Maud  Smith  at  whose  ranch  the  post  office 
was  located. — J.  Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee,  Wyoming. 

Hemingway,  Natrona  County.  Ambrose  Hemingway,  sur- 
veyor of  Casper,  was  owner  of  the  ranch  at  the  time  the  name 
was  applied.* 

Hermosa,  Albany  County.  From  the  Spanish,  meaning 
beautiful. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

HiLLiARD,  Uinta  County.  Named  after  Reuben  T.  Hilliard, 
a  conductor  on  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.* 

HiLLSDALiE,  Laramie  Count5^  The  place  takes  its  name  from 
a  Mr.  Hill  who  was  killed  here  by  the  Indians  at  the  time  the 
road  was  located.  He  belonged  to  the  engineer  corps  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad. — Pacific  Tourist,  p.  61. 

HoBACK,  Teton  County.  Named  for  John  Hoback,  a  trapper 
with  Wilson  P.  Hunt's  partv.  His  grave  is  near  the  town. — 
ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  July  1925,  p.  129.* 

Horse  Creek,  Laramie  County.  Named  because  of  its  loca- 
tion on  Horse  Creek.* 

Horton,  Weston  County.  For  Dr.  Fred  Horton,  a  pioneer 
physician  of  the  vicinity. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Hudson,  Fremont  County.  Named  in  honor  of  John  G. 
Hudson,  an  old  settler  and  once  the  owner  of  the  land  on  which 
the  town  is  now  located.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Wyoming 
Legislature  and  a  county  commissioner.  Formerly  named  Alta 
which  is  a  Sioux  Indian  word  and  means  "swift  water"  or 
^'swiftly  running  water."* 

Hulett,  Crook  County.  Named  for  Lewis  Morgan  Hulett 
who  came  to  Wyoming  in  1881. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project 

Hyattvii^e,  Big  Horn  County.  The  post  office  was  estab- 
lished with  Sam  W.  Hyatt  as  first  postmaster. — Wyoming  Writ- 
ers' Project. 


\         .     ' 


WYOMING  PLACE  nA>1ES  237 

Inez,  Converse  Comity.  Named  for  In^z  Richards,  a  daugh- 
ter of  DeForest  Richards,  ex-governor  of  \Vyoming.* 

Irvine,  Converse  County.  Named  for  Billy  Irvine  a  promi- 
nent cattle  man  who  owned  a  large  cattle  ranch  nearby.* 

Jackson,  Teton  County.  Named  after  David  E.  Jackson 
by  William  L.  Sublette  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company.* 

Jay  Em,  Goshen  County.  Named  for  a  cattle  brand. — Wyo- 
ming Writers'  Project. 

Jelm,  Albany  County.  Derives  its  name  from  a  tie  contrac- 
tor named  Gillom  who  cut  ties  for  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  in 
1860. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Kane,  Big  Horn  County.  Named  for  Riley  Kane  who  was 
foreman  for  many  years  for  the  Mason  and  Lovell  Company. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Kaycee,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  the  cattle  brand  K  C, 
owned  by  Peters  and  Alston.* 

Kearney,  Johnson  County.  Named  for  its  proximity  to  the 
site  of  Ft.  Phil  Kearny.  In  the  past  it  has  been  spelled  Kearney 
which  is  incorrect.  The  living  descendents  have  made  formal 
request  that  the  spelling  be  corrected  hereafter.* 

Keeline,  Niobrara  County.  Named  for  George  A.  Keeline 
of  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  who  was  interested  in  cattle  business  in 
this  vicinity.* 

Kemmerer,  Lincoln  County.  In  1897  P.  J.  Quealy,  coal 
inspector  for  Wyoming,  recognized  the  value  of  coal  veins  being 
opened  near  Diamondville.  He  obtained  the  backing  of  Mahlon 
S.  Kemmerer  of  Mauch  Chunk,  Pennsylvania,  and  organized  a 
mining  company  here. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  249. 

Kendrick,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  the  late  Senator 
John  B.  Kendrick. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Kirby,  Hot  Springs  County.  Kris  Kirby,  a  Texan,  was  the 
first  settler  in  the  vicinity. — AValker,^  p.  33.* 

KiRwiN,  Park  County.  Named  for  William  Kirwin,  an 
early-day  miner. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Kleenburn,  Sheridan  County.  Named  to  designate  the 
coal  mines  situated  there.     It  was  originally  called  Carneyville.* 

Klondike,  Johnson  County.  Frank  Jones,  a  partner  of 
Bike  and  Jones,  commercial  hunters  at  Fort  ^IcKinney,  went 
to  the  Klondike  during  the  early  gold  rush,  returning  with  a 
moderate  fortune  and  the  nickname  "Klondike."  He  established 
himself  on  the  old  ranch  owned  by  his  wife's  people,  and  when 
the  post  office  was  established  there  it  was  given  his  name. — J. 
Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee,  Wyoming. 

Knight,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  the  ranch  along  tlie 
river  which  was  once  OAvned  by  «Iesse  Knight  of  Evanston,  AVyo- 
ming. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 


6.     Stories  of  Early  Days  in  Wiiominff. 


238  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Kooi,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  Peter  Kooi,  owner  of 
the  site.* 

La  Barge,  Lincohi  County.  Named  for  the  father  of  Cap- 
tain Joseph  LaBarge,  well  known  Missouri  River  pilot  and  boat 
owner. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

La  Bonte,  Converse  County.  LaBonte  was  a  trapper  with 
"Uncle  Dick"  Woolston's  party  in  1838. — Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Lander,  Fremont  County.  Named  by  B.  F.  Lowe,  founder, 
for  Colonel  F.  W.  Lander  who  had  charge  of  the  military  escort 
in  1858  which  accompanied  the  expedition  building  the  govern- 
ment road  from  the  Missouri  River  to  California-. — Coutant,  His- 
tory of  Wyonmig,  p.  364.* 

LaRxVmie,  Albany  County.     See  Laramie  County. 

Lavoye,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  Louis  Lavo^^e,  orig- 
inal homesteader  of  the  land  on  which  the  town  was  located.* 

Leiter,  Sheridan  County.  Named  for  Joseph  Leiter  who 
was  connected  with  the  irrigation  project  of  Lake  DeSmet. — 
Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Lenore,  Fremont  County.  Named  for  Lenore  Judkins, 
daughter  of  W.  T.  Judkins,  first  postmaster. — Wyoming  Writers' 
Project. 

Lewiston,  Fremont  County.  Named  for  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Lewis  who  erected  a  stamp  mill  and  hoisting  works  oij 
gold  properties  discovered  by  Captain  H.  G.  Nickerson  in  1882. 
— Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Lightning  Flat,  Crook  County.  An  early  name  applied  to 
the  locality  in  w^hich  it  is  situated. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Lindbergh,  Laramie  County.  Named  for  Charles  A.  Lind- 
bergh at  the  time  of  his  flight. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Linden,  Crook  County.  The  name  was  given  by  Mrs.  Flor- 
ence M.  Wakman,  wife  of  the  first  postmaster,  as  one  in  keeping 
with  the  beauty  of  the  localitj^ — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

LiNGLE,  Goshen  County.  Named  for  Hiram  Lingle,  founder, 
who  advocated  irrigation  in  the  area  in  early  days. — Wyoming 
Writers'  Project.* 

Lookout,  Albany  County.  A  high  point  on  the  Union  Pa- 
cific Railroad  from  which  one  can  see  in  all  directions.  Named 
in  1868. — Wyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Lost  Cabin,  Fremont  County.  Allen  Hulburt  discovered 
a  rich  mine,  built  a  cabin  there  and  then  lost  track  of  both  mine 
and  cabin.* 

Lost  Spring,  Converse  County.  Named  from  a  spring  at 
the  head  of  Lost  Creek  Avhich  is  nearby.  The  stream  was  so 
named  because  it  sank  out  of  sight  at  places  and  was  "lost"  to 
sight. — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  825. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  239 

LovELL,  Big  Horn  County.  Founded  by  the  Mormon  colon- 
ists who  came  into  the  region  in  1900  and  was  named  for  a  big- 
scale  rancher  by  the  name  of  Lovell  who  had  preceded  the 
Mormons. — -Wyoming  Guide,  p.  339. 

LucEKNE,  Hot  Springs  County.  This  is  another  name  for 
alfalfa.  It  was  named  for  the  farming  community  where  a  great 
deal  of  alfalfa  is  grown. — 'Wyoming  Guide,  p.  332. 

LusK,  Niobrara  County.  Named  for  Frank  S.  Lusk.  cattle- 
man and  owner  of  the  site  on  which  the  town  was  located.* 

Lyman,  Uinta  County.  Named  for  Francis  M.  Lyman, 
Apostle  of  the  Mormon  Church  in  1898.* 

Lysite,  Fremont  County.  Named  for  Jim  Lysite  or  Lysaght, 
prospector  and  miner  who  was  killed  by  Indians  in  the  early 
seventies  near  Lysite  Moiuitain. — Walker,  pp.  219-220. 

Mandel,  Albany  County.  Named  for  Phil  Mandel,  the 
earliest  settler  in  Laramie  Valley. — AVyoming  Writers'  Project. 

Manderson,  Big  Horn  County.  Named  for  an  Omaha  offi- 
cial of  the  Burlington  Railroad.* 

Manville,  Niobrara  County.  Named  for  H.  S.  Manville, 
the  manager  of  the  Converse  Cattle  Company.* 

Marshall,  Albany  County.  Named  for  W.  E.  jMarshall, 
first  postmaster  and  an  Albany  County  pioneer. — Wyoming 
Writers'  Project. 

Mayow^orth,  Johnson  County.  Established  about  1890  at 
the  home  of  G-riifith  Jones,  an  old  Union  soldier  known  locally  as 
"Corporal"  Jones.  His  daughter,  May,  married  William  Worth- 
ington  Morgareidge  who  was  at  that  time  carrying  the  mail. 
The  name  is  a  combination  of  may  and  Worthington. — J.  Elmer 
Brock,  Kaycee,  Wyoming. 

Medicine  Bow,  Carbon  County.  Indians  came  a  great 
distance  to  obtain  the  unusually  straight  timber  of  that  part  of 
the  region  from  which  to  fashion  their  bows  and  arrows.  It  was 
considered  good  medicine  to  use  that  timber  for  the  making  of 
their  weapons  ;  they  said,  ' '  Good  medicine  bows. "  "* 

Meeteetse,  Park  County.  This  is  supposed  to  be  an  Indian 
word  meaning  "place  of  rest;''  some  say  that  it  means  "far 
away." — Wyoming  Guide,  p.  335. 

Middleton,  Hot  Springs  County.  This  name  was  given  by 
Colo)iel  Slinev  who  had  been  born  in  Middleton,  Ireland. — 
Walker,  p.  227. 

Midwest,  Natrona  County.  The  old  and  former  post  office 
of  Salt  Creek.  Located  at  the  main  camp  of  the  ^Midwest  Oil 
Company  in  the  Salt  Creek  Oil  Field.* 

Miller,  Natrona  County.  Named  for  U.  S.  ]\Iiller  who  was 
postmaster  there  for  many  years.* 

(To  be  continued) 


BATTLES  AND  SKIRMISHES  IN 

WYOMING  TERRITORY— 

1853-1882 

Chronological  list  of  battles  and  skirmishes  which  took  place 
between  the  Military  and  the  different  tribes  of  Indians  in  that  part 
of  the  Indian  Territory  which  is  now  Wyoming.^ 


Date 


1853 

June  17 

1854 

Aug. 

19 

Aug. 

28 

1866 

Aug. 

9 

Sept. 

10-16 

Sept. 

29 

Oct. 

6 

Dec. 

6 

Dec. 

21 

1867 

Feb. 

27 

Apr. 

26 

Apr. 

27 

May  23 

June  12 

June  18 

June  20 

June  30 

Aug. 

2 

Aug. 

14 

Dec. 

2 

Dec. 

14 

Place 


Near  Ft.  Laramie,  Nebr. 

Near  Ft.  Laramie,  Nebr. 
Attack  on  Ft.  Laramie,  Nebr. 

Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 

Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 

Goose  Creek,  Dak. 

Pino  Creek,  near  Ft.  Phil 
Kearny,  Dak. 

Near  Ft.  Reno,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Reno,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Reno,  Dak. 
Near  Bridger's  ferry,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Foot  of  Black  Hills,  on 

U  P  R  R,  Nebr. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Reno,  Dak. 
Crazy  Woman's  Creek,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 


Troops  engaged 

G,  6  inf.2 

G,  6  inf. 
Do. 

Detach  H,  2  batln,  18  inf. 
A,  C,  E  and  H,  2  batln, 

18  inf. 
A,  C,  E  and  H,  27  inf. 
Detachs  A,  C,  E  and  H, 

27  inf. 
C,  2  cav ;  detachs  A,  C, 

E  and  H,  27  inf. 

C,  2  cav ;  A,  C,  E  and  H, 
27  inf. 

Detachs  B  and  I,  27  inf. 
Detach  I,  27  inf. 
Detachs  D  and  I,  27  inf. 
E,  2  cav. 

D,  2  cav. 
D,  2  cav. 

C,  Pawnee  scouts 

C,  18  inf. 
A,  C,  F,  27  inf. 
Detach  G,  18  inf. 
Detach  C,  18  inf. 


1.  4.5.36  House  of  Eepresentatives  Document  446,  p.  401,  57th  Congress, 
Second   Session. 

2.  Abbreviations:  inf. — infantry;  detach. — detachment;  cav. — cavalry; 
do. — ditto;  batln. — battalion.  Numbers  denote  regiment  and  sometimes  bat- 
talion ;  letters  denote  company,  detachment,  battery  or  troop  and  sometimes 
battalion,  depending  on  the  branch  of  the  Army. 


Date 


1868 

Mar. 

18 

Apr. 

3 

July 

4 

July 

5 

July 

18 

July 

19 

1869 

Mar. 

22 

Apr. 

6 

May 

21 

Sept. 

12 

Sept. 

14 

Do. 

Sept. 

15 

Nov.  6 

Dec.  1 

1870 
May  4 

June  25 
June  27 

1871 
June  26 

1872 
Mav  2 


BATTLES  AND  SKIEMISHES  241 

Place  Troops  engaged 


Near  Ft.  Fetterman,  Dak. 

Rock  Creek,  Wyo. 

Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 

Do. 
Near  Ft.  Phil  Kearny,  Dak. 
Near  Ft.  Reno,  Dak. 


Near  Ft.  Fred  Steele,  Wyo. 

Near  La  Bonte  Creek,  Wyo. 
Near  Ft.  Fred  Steele,  Wyo. 
Laramie  Peak,  Wyo. 
Popo  Agie,  Wyo. 
Little  Wind  River,  Wyo. 
Near  Whiskey  Gap,  Wyo. 

Between  Fts.  Fetterman  and 

Laramie,  Wyo. 
Near  Horseshoe,  Wyo. 


Detach  K,  18  inf. 

I,  27  inf. 

Detach  A,  27  inf. 
I,  27  inf. 

Detach  A,  2  cav,  and  B 
and  F,  27  inf. 

Detachs  A,  B,  F,  H  and 

K,  30  inf. 
Detach  A,  4  inf. 
Detachs  B  and  H,  4  inf. 
Detachs  D  and  G,  4  inf. 
D,  2  cav. 
K,  7  inf  (1  man) 
Detachs  B,  4  inf,  and  B, 

D,  F  and  I,  7  inf. 
K,  2  cav. 

Detachs  A,  D,  E,  F,  G 
and  K,  4  inf. 


Miner's  Delight,  near  Twin  D,  2  cav. 

Creek,  Wyo. 

Medicine  Bow  Station,  Wyo.  Detach  I,  2  cav. 

Pine  Grove  Meadow,  Wyo.  Detach  A,  2  cav. 


Camp  Brown,  Wyo. 

Near  La  Bonte  Creek,  Wyo. 

Yellowstone  Expedition 


Detach  B,  2  cav,  and  A, 
13  inf. 


Detach  D.  E,  F  and  G. 
14  inf. 
July  26-  A,  B,  C,  F,  H  and  K,  8 

Oct.    15        Yellowstone  Expedition  inf;  A,  C  and  F,  17 

inf;  D,  F  and  G,  22 
inf;  Indian  scouts. 
Sept.  10-13  Between  Beaver  Creek  and     B.  2  cav. 
Sweet  Water  River, 
Wyo. 


1873 
Sept.  20 


Near  Ft.  Fetterman,  Wyo.        K,  2  cav 


242 


ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 


Date 

1874 
Feb.     9 

July     4 


July    19 

1875 
July     1 

1876 
Mar.     5 

June    9 


Place 

Cottonwood  Creek,  near 
Laramie  Peak,  Wyo. 

Near  Bad  Water  Branch  of 
Wind  River,  or  Snake 
Mountains,  or  Owl 
Mountains,  Wyo. 

Rattlesnake  Hills,  Wyo.   . 


Troops  engaged 

Detachs  K,  2  cav,  and  A, 

14  inf. 
B,  2  cav;  Indian  scouts. 


B,  2  cav;  Indian  scouts. 


Little  Popo  Agie  River,  Wyo.  Detach  D,  2  cav. 

Dry  Forks  of  Powder  River,     C  and  I,  4  inf. 

Wyo. 
Tongue  River,  Wyo. 


July    17        Near  Hat,  or  Indian  Creek, 

Wyo. 
July    17-18  Near  Hat  Creek,  Wyo. 
Oct.    14        Chugwater,  or  Richard 

Creek,  Wyo. 
Nov.  25-26  Bates  Creek,  near  North 

Fork  of  Powder 

River,  Wyo. 


1877 
Jan.   12        Near  Elkhorn  Creek,  Wyo. 

1878 
Aug.  29-30  Index  Peak,  Wyo. 


Sept.  12 

1879 
Jan.   20 
Sept.  29- 
Oct.    25 

1882 
Apr.  29 


Near  Big  Wind  or  Snake 
River,  Wyo. 


D,  2  cav ;  A,  B,  C,  D,  E, 
F,  G,  I,  L,  and  M,  3 
cav;  D  and  F,  4  inf ; 
C,  G  and  H,  9  inf. 

A,  B,  D,  G,  I,  K,  and  M, 
5  cav.- 

Detach  K,  3  cav. 

Detach  K,  2  cav. 

K,  2  cav;  H  and  K,  3 
cav;   B,    D,    E,    F,    I, 
and  M,  4  cav ;  H  and 
L,  5  cav ;  Indian 

scouts. 

Detach  A,  3  cav. 

Detach  5  inf ;  Indian 

scouts. 
Detach  G,  5  cav ;  Indian 

scouts. 


Near  Bluff  Station,  Wyo.  B  and  D,  3  cav. 

White  River,  Ute  expedition,  E,  3  cav;  D  and  F,  5  cav. 
Milk  Creek,  Colo. 


Shoshone  Agency,  near  Ft. 
Washakie,  Wyo. 


Detachs  H  and  K,  3  cav ; 
Indian  scouts. 


VALUABLE  RELICS  PRESENTED  TO  STATE  MUSEUM 

"I  am  sending  yon  today  a  package  of  Indian  souvenirs 
"which  I  acquired  from  forty  to  fifty  years  ago  in  my  routine 
travels  through  Wyoming." 

Thus  Mr.  Frank  G.  White  of  Palo  Alto,  California,  recently 
wrote  the  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department.  During  the 
latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  Mr.  White  supervised  some 
fifty  or  sixty  insurance  agencies  in  the  West,  and  he  counted 
among  his  friends  Captain  H.  G.  Nickerson,  Indian  Agent  of  the 
Shoshone  Indian  Reservation,  Charles  W.  Einer^  and  R.  S.  Van 
Tassel.- 

The  items  sent  by  Mr.  White  were  a  knife  and  sheath  which 
once  belonged  to  Jim  Baker,  a  war  club,  a  medicine  stick,  an  In- 
dian belt,  long  legged  moccasins,  an  Indian  necklace,  Indian  pipe 
and  a  U.  S.  Springfield  gun,  dated  1873.  His  letter  describing 
these  articles  pro^^des  a  personal  contact  with  those  early  times. 
He  continues,  "While  I  was  in  Fort  Washakie  visiting  with  the 
Indian  Agent,  Captain  Nickerson,  he  suggested  that  I  make  a 
tour  of  the  agency,  meet  the  Chief  and  see  some  sights  that  would 
undoubtedly  be  novel  and  unusual  to  me. 

"We  called  on  a  young  fellow  named  Sherman  Coolidge^ 
who  had  just  returned  from  Carlisle  Indian  School  and  who 
spoke  excellent  English.  The  last  time  I  met  Sherman  Coolidge 
he  was  Bishop  of  Indian  Missions  for  the  Episcopal  Church  and 
was  living  at  Broadmoor,  a  few  miles  from  Colorado  Springs, 
Colorado. 

"I  had  a  most  enjoyable  trip  and  the  greatest  event  was 
meeting  Chief  Washakie,  who  spoke  very  little  English.  How- 
ever, he  was  very  agreeable  and  had  a  very  pleasing  personality 
with  a  dignity  that  one  rarely  sees  in  a  human  being.  I  have 
always  felt  that  he  really  had  a  little  fun  with  me  for  he  had 
in  his  hand  a  new  pipe  that  certainly  had  not  been  used  veiy  long, 
although  it  had  some  tobacco  in  it.  He  lighted  it  and  took  a 
puff,  handed  it  to  me,  and,  while  I  was  quite  a  tenderfoot.  I 
nevertheless  took  a  puff  and  handed  it  back  to  him.  There  was 
a  little  glint  in  his  eye  and  a  little  smile  that  rather  confused  my 
judgment  of  the  situation,  for  I  could  not  tell  Avhether  the  old 


1.  Mr.  C.  W.  Einer  located  in  Clieyeiine,  Wyoming,  in  1870.  He  "was 
once  mayor  of  the  city  and  was  a  leading  figure  in  civic  and  state  affairs 
throughout  his  life.     He  passed  away  in  October  1930. 

2.  Mr.  E.  S.  Van  Tassell,  one  of  Wyoming's  earliest  pioneers,  settled 
in  Cheyenne  as  soon  as  it  was  organized.  His  cattle  interests  in  Wyoming 
were  extensive.     He  passed  awav  in  April  1931. 

3.  For  biographical  sketch  see  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  October 
1939,  p.  240. 


/ 

244  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

gentleman  was  a  regular  smoker  or  not  and  was  simply  having 
a  little  fun  at  my  expense. 

"Captain  Nickerson  had  advised  me  to  have  some  small 
change  in  my  pocket  and  plenty  of  cigars  as  the  Indians  were 
fond  of  both.  I  reached  into  my  pocket  and  pulled  out  six  or 
eight  cigars  which  I  handed  to  the  Chief  and  which  he  accepted 
with  a  gracious  bow  that  probablj^  did  not  move  his  head  or  his 
body  from  a  perpendicular  position  more  than  a  matter  of  two 
inches,  yet  it  was  sincere  and  courteous  appreciation. 

"He  then  talked  with  Sherman  about  me,  and  when  he 
learned  of  my  work  he  grunted  and  remarked  '  Big  Little  Chief. ' 
I  was  only  five  feet  five  and  a  half  inches  tall  and  I  would  guess 
that  Chief  Washakie  was  all  of  six  feet,  very  slender,  but  broad 
of  physique.  He  stood  straight  as  a  ramrod,  and  his  thin  gray 
hair  was  rather  long  and  straight. 

"Some  years  later  on,  I  met  the  wife  of  Chief  Washakie's 
son,  Dick,  and  her  young  daughter,  of  about  seven  to  nine  years 
old,  who  had  on  a  pair  of  new  long  legged  moccasins.  They  were 
very  pretty  and  I  tried  to  buy  them,  but  at  first  she  did  not  seem 
to  understand.  Her  mother  stood  by  smiling  when  I  endeavored 
to  pull  up  my  trouser  legs  and  go  through  the  motions  of  taking 
off  the  long  moccasins  she  had  on,  indicating  that  if  she  would 
put  up  her  foot  I  would  take  them  off.  You  never  saw  any- 
thing more  fascinating  than  her  innate  modesty.  She  smiled 
and  ran  from  me  as  though  I  were  a  wolf,  ran  around  the  tepee 
and  came  forward  with  a  pair  in  her  hand.  Her  mother  said 
the  child  had  just  made  them  and  was  very  proud  of  them.  I 
dickered  for  some  time  and  finally  she  sold  them  to  my  delight. 
The  mother  had  on  a  peculiar  belt,  big  enough  for  a  surcingle  to 
a  Shetland  pony,  and  evinced  considerable  amusement  when  I 
wanted  to  buy  it.  Upon  her  not  giving  a  ready  response,  I  un- 
buckled it,  examined  it  and  asked  what  she  would  take  for  it, 
finally  succeeding  in  getting  her  to  accept  three  dollars. 

"The  war  club  was  given  to  me  by  Captain  Nickerson  and 
was  picked  up  with  several  others  by  the  Captain  in  the  last 
Indian  fight  they  had  in  that  part  of  the  country  and  in  which 
Sherman  Coolidge's  father,  Bas  Banasta,  was  killed.  Lieutenant 
Charles  A.  Coolidge  of  Fort  Brown  (later  Fort  Washakie)  adopt- 
ed the  boy  and  provided  for  his  education. 

"The  medicine  stick  was  given  to  me  by  I.  0.  Middaugh,  a 
newspaperman,  of  Wheatland.  He  told  me  this  medicine  stick 
was  used  in  the  last  Sun  Dance  at  the  Pine  Ridge  Agency*  in 
South  Dakota  when  the  Indians  were  preparing  for  a  war. 

"The  long  necklace  enclosed  was  worn  by  William  Shakes- 
peare in  a  horse  race  at  one  of  Cheyenne's  earliest  pioneer  day 
celebrations.    Captain  Nickerson  had  brought  a  number  of  Arap- 

4.     Located  in  southwestern  South  Dakota. 


RELICS  PRESENTED  TO  STATE  MUSEUM  245 

ahoe  and  Shoshone  Indians  to  the  Cheyenne  celebration.  Sir 
William  on  this  occasion  wore  his  necklace,  a  "  G "  string  and  an 
eagle  feather  in  his  hair — that  is,  it  was  in  a  band  that  encircled 
his  head,  and,  being  quite  a  tall  chap,  he  was  very  impressive. 
As  I  could  not  get  him  to  sell  me  the  necklace,  Captain  Nicker- 
son  told  me  he  would  see  what  he  could  do.  The  next  morning 
he  handed  me  the  necklace  with  a  request  for  five  dollars  which 
I  promptly  paid.  It  seems  he  told  Shakespeare  that  he  was  an 
old  friend  of  mine  under  obligation  to  me,  that  my  wife  was 
quite  ambitious  to  secure  the  necklace  and  it  would  be  a  great 
favor  to  him  if  he  would  sell  it. 

"Regarding  the  hunting  knife — I  was  staging  from  Casper 
to  Lander  and  between  Casper  and  Rongis^  (the  midnight 
change)  when  we  were  flagged  by  a  long-haired,  medium  sized, 
pioneer  type  of  a  plainsman  or  hunter  with  a  burro  or  a  pack 
animal  of  some  sort.  He  was  acquainted  with  the  stage  driver 
who  was  a  stranger  to  me.  He  said  that  at  a  certain  point  along 
the  road  he  had  skinned  an  antelope  and  had  left  his  knife.  He 
wanted  the  driver  to  pick  it  up  and  give  it  to  the  Lander-Rawlins 
Stage  which  we  would  meet  at  Rongis,  so  the  knife  could  be  de- 
livered to  him  in  Rawlins. 

"Naturally,  as  I  was  curious,  I  asked  questions  and  was 
advised  that  the  fellow's  name  was  Jim  Baker.  I  was  young  in 
those  daj'S,  and  I  am  afraid  my  ambition  to  possess  such  a  mar- 
velous relic  rather  acted  as  an  opiate  to  my  conscience,  for  I 
opened  the  dickering  by  saying  I  would  like  very  much  to  have 
that  knife,  but,  of  course,  they  must  give  it  to  Jim  as  he  had 
doubtlessly  made  it  himself,  carried  it  for  years  and  valued  it 
very  highly.  The  driver  replied,  'Why  don't  you  give  him  the 
price  of  a  fine  new  marble  knife,  which  I  will  buy?  As  it  hap- 
pens I  am  to  drive  the  next  coach  into  Rawlins,  I  can  get  the 
knife  there  and  tell  him  that  I  did  not  think  he  would  care  much 
for  his  old  one,  so  I  made  a  trade  for  him. ' 

"Another  most  interesting  incident  occurred  on  one  of  my 
trips  to  Lander  and  Fort  Washakie  while  Captain  Niekerson  was 
agent.  One  day  when  I  got  oft*  the  coach  I  was  told  to  rush  over 
to  the  Captain's  office  where  I  would  see  something  very  unusual. 
I  was  young  then,  about  thirty,  and  was  j)i"etty  good  at  sprint- 
ing, so  I  made  a  few  rapid  steps  and  arrived  in  time  to  see  a 
circle  of  Indian  scouts  around  the  desk  and  a  couple  of  prisoners 
standing  in  front  of  the  Captain.  It  seems  they  were  renegades 
from  the  Pine  Ridge  Agency  who  had  come  over  to  hunt  in  the 
country  adjoining  Yellowstone  Park  where  hunting  was  especial- 
ly good.  Captain  Niekerson  had  sent  his  scouts  after  them,  and, 
as  they  had  no  permit,  the  Captain  had  told  them  they  would 


5.     Located  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  Fremont  County. 


246  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

have  to  go  back  to  the  Pine  Ridge  Agency,  which  they  declined 
to  do.  He  declared,  'You  will  go  back  with  an  escort,  if  we  tie 
you  on  to  your  horses. ' 

"They  refused  to  carry  their  blankets  and  would  not  carry 
their  guns.  Captain  Nickerson  told  them  that  if  they  did  not 
carry  their  guns  he  would  advise  the  Great  Father  in  Washing- 
ton and  they  would  never  receive  another. 

' '  It  was  a  most  remarkable  sight.  While  the  trial  was  being 
held  the  scouts  were  all  as  stolid  and  poker-faced  as  one  of  the 
old  Indian  figures  which  always  stood  out  in  front  of  a  cigar 
store.  The  prisoners  were  bullheaded  and  stubborn  and  the 
next  morning  when  Indian  Scouts  were  sent  with  them  to  the 
Pine  Ridge  Agency  they  refused  to  take  their  guns.  Following 
their  departure  the  Captain  said  to  me,  'Frank,  that  is  probably 
the  last  experience  of  that  kind  which  will  ever  be  witnessed  in 
this  country,  and  I  am  glad  you  are  here  to  enjoy  it.  What 
would  you  like  as  a  souvenir  of  the  occasion  ?'  I  answered,  'Why, 
Captain,  I  haven't  the  remotest  idea.  What  would  be  a  proper 
souvenir  of  such  a  wonderful  experience?'  He  picked  up  one  of 
the  Indians'  guns  and  said,  'AVell,  how  would  you  like  this?' 
Of  course  I  was  thrilled  to  death  to  have  it. ' ' 

Mr.  AVhite  has  made  a  valuable  contribution  to  the  Wyoming 
State  Historical  Department,  and  the  collection  is  now  on  dis- 
play in  the  Museum  of  the  state  from  which  it  was  originally 
obtained.  Here  his  gifts  are  placed  with  other  valuable  relics 
of  Wyoming's  past,  where  they  may  be  viewed  and  studied  by 
the  many  thousands  of  persons  who  annually  visit  the  State 
Museum,  eliminating  the  possibilitj^  of  their  being  discarded  or 
placed  where  they  will  not  be  appreciated  and  at  the  same  time 
permanently  preserving  them. 


'Ye  mothers  of  those  rudely  wrought  frontiers. 
Ye  are  the  pioneers  that  blazed  the  way. 
Without  your  hearts  of  gold,  your  spirits  dauntless,  bold. 
The  West  would  be  a  wilderness  today." 

Author  unknown. 


ACCESSIONS 

to  the 
WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 
April  1,  1942  to  July  1,  1942 

Miscellaneous  Gifts 

White,  Frank  G.,  Palo  Alto,  California — Eight  items:  Knife  and  sheath 
which  once  belonged  to  Jim  Baker;  Indian  war  club;  Indian  medicine 
stick;  Indian  belt;  pair  long  legged  moccasins;  necklace  worn  by  Wni. 
Shakespeare,  Indian;  Indian  pipe;  U.  S.  Springfield  gun  dated  1873. 

Rernfeld,  Seymour  S.,  Casper,  Wyoming  —  Document  certifying  Paul 
D 'Arcantel  as  Justice  of  Peace  with  the  official  signature  of  Hon. 
William  C.  C.  Claiborne,  Governor  of  the  Territory  of  Orleans  and 
first  U.  S.  Civil  Officer  having  jurisdiction  within  the  present  limits 
of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Wyoming — the  Louisiana  Purchase.  Signed 
October  22,  1807. 

Fowler,  Mrs.  B.  F.,  Cheyenne,  Wj'^oming — Knight  Templar  sword  formerly 
belonging  to  Benjamin  F.  Fowler,  first  county  attorney  of  Crook 
County,  Wyoming,  and  later  a  U.  S.  Attorney  for  Wyoming;  auto- 
graphed copy  of  "Eangelaud  Melodies"  by  E.  Richard  Sliipp. 

l'\ita,  George,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Three  Wyoming  mineral  specimens: 
agatized  wood  from  Eden  Valley;  petrified  wood  from  Wind  River 
district  near  Riverton,  Wyoming;  belemnite  conglomerate  found  near 
Glendo,  Wyoming.  One  spear  head  or  scraper  found  at  Hell's  Half 
Acre. 

Stewart,  Queena  and  Belle,  Buffalo  Gap,  South  Dakota — Mounted  buffalo 
head  which  was  originally  presented  to  Frank  S.  Stewart  liy  Seotty 
Phillips,  owner  at  one  time  of  the  largest  buffalo  herd  in  the  United 
States.  The  head  for  many  years  hung  in  the  lobby  of  the  Evans 
Hotel,  Hot  Springs,  South  Dakota. 

O'Donoghue,  A.,  Thermopolis,  Wyoming — Song,  "The  Roundup  Queen," 
words  by  Mr.  A.  O'Donoghue,  music  by  O.  L.  Jacobs. 

Manchester,  James  G.,  St.  Petersburg,  Florida — Four  specimens  of  aga- 
tized coral  (Tertiary  formation)  from  Tampa  Bay,  Florida. 

Peterson,  Martin,  Jefferson,  Oregon — Necklace  made  by  a  Sioux  squaw 
of  the  Pine  Ridge  Agency,  South  Dakota. 

Huntington,  E.  O.,  Lovell,  Wyoming — Copv  of  volume  I,  nnmlier  1  of  the 
Lovell  Chronicle,  May  31,*  1906. 

Brown,  Mrs.  Violet  Johnson,  Pine  Bluffs,  Wyoming — Allnim  of  daguerro- 
types  of  19th  Regiment,  Company  C,  Wisconsin  Infantry  of  the  reg- 
ular army  at  tlie  time  of  the  Civil  War,  including  a  picture  of  Mrs. 
Brown's  father,  George  Johnson. 


248  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Stich,  Eiehard  Thomas,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming — Pistol,  make  of  about  1860, 
.22  calibre,  with  which  Jack  McCall  shot  Wild  Bill  Hickok  at  Dead- 
wood,  South  Dakota.  Taken  from  McCall  in  1876  after  the  military 
authorities  had  arrested  him  in  Laramie.  Obtained  from  McCall  by 
Theodore  Benson,  great  uncle  of  Eiehard  Stich,  and  handed  down  to 
his  mother,  Carrie  M.  Stich. 

Brown,  Clyde  H.,  Fort  Collins,  Colorado — Pamphlet:  "Larimer  County, 
Colorado,  Stage  Eoads  and  Stations"  by  Eiehard  S.  Baker. 

Marcy,  Mrs.  Cora  E.,  Careyhurst,  Wyoming — Pictures  of  Shoshone  Sun 
Dance  at  Fort  Washakie,  Wyoming. 


Miscellaneous — Purchased 

Program  for  "McDaniel's  New  Theatre,  located  at  the  corner  of  Sixteentli 
and  Eddy  Streets,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  Thursday  evening,  September 
21,  1876." 

Becks— Gifts 

Hayues,  Jack  E.,  Yellowstone  Park,  Wyoming — Haynes  Guide,  Yellow- 
stone National  Park.    1942. 

Cody,  Ernest  W.,  London,  Ontario,  Canada — The  Cody  Family  Handbook, 
Directory,  1941;  The  Cody  Family  Directory,  1927. 

Works  Project  Administration,  Clieyenne,  Wyoming — Guide  to  Public 
Vital  Statistics  Eecords  in  Wyoming,  supervised  by  Wyoming  State 
Department  of  Health,  1941;  Guide  to  Vital  Statistics  Eecords  in 
Wyoming,  Church  Archives,  supervised  by  Wyoming  State  Library, 
1942;  Wyoming  Historical  Eecords  Survey,  Inventory  of  County 
Archives  for  Sweetwater  and  Park  Counties. 


Books — Purchased 

Orr,  Mrs.  Harriet  Knight — History  of  Wyoming,  A  Syllabus.     1942. 

Overton,  Eiehard  C. — Burlington  West.    1941. 

Monteith,  James — Comprehensive  Geography,  Wyoming  Edition.     1872. 

Wyoming  Stockgrowers  Association — Brand  Book.     1884. 

White,  John  M. — The  Newer  Northwest.     1894. 

Brisbin,  J.  S.— The  Beef  Bonanza.     1881. 

McPherren,  Ida — Empire  Builders.     1942. 

Grinnell,  George  Bird — The  Cheyenne  Indians,  Their  History  and  V^^'ays 
of  Life,  volumes  1  and  2.     1923. 


^HHals  of  Wyoming 


Vol.  14 


October,  1942 


No.  4 


AN  HISTORICAL  MAGAZINE 


— Photo  by  W.  H.  Jackson 

MEMBERS  OF  UNITED  STATES  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY  EXPEDITION  OF  1872 

Seated  in  foreground,  left  to  right:     Henry  Gannett,  Dr.  Ferdinand  V.  Hayden,   Sidford 
Hamp,  William  Blackmore  and  Captain  James   Stevenson.     Background:    Packers. 


Published  Quarterly 

By 

THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Cheyenne,  Wyoming 


M^dts  of  Wyoming 

Vol.  14  October,  1942  No.  4 


Contents 


Page 
EXPLORING  THE  YELLOWSTONE  WITH  HAYDEN,  1872 

Diarv  of  Sidfoid  Hamp 253 

Edited  by  Herbert  Oliver  Brayer 

PEESS   ON   WHEELS 299 

By  Burton  DeLoiiey 

JOHN   ALEXANDER   OSBORNE .: 31.5 

By  Mrs.  Meta  Osborne 

ANNOUNCEMENT 321 

WYOMING   PLACE   NAMES 322 

DO  Y'OU  KNOW  THAT 324  and  326 

STORIES   AND   LIFE ! 325 

By  Addison  E.  Sheldon 

WYOMING  STATE  MUSEUM— 1942 ".. 327 

ACCESSIONS  to  the  Wyoming  Historical  Department. ....-rr...T. 328 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

MEMBERS  OF  UNITED  STATES  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

EXPEDITION   OF   1872 :. Front    ( 'over 

Seated  in  F'lregronnd,  left  to  right:  Henry  Gannett,  Dr. 
Ferdinand  Y.  Hayden,  Sidt'ord  Hamp,  William  Blaekmore 
and    Captain    James    Stevenson.      Background:       Packers. 

SIDFORD  HAMP,  1S72.  Taken  the  day  before  leaving  for  America. 


.)-;,-) 


MEETING  OF  THE  U.  S.  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY  OF  THE 
TERRITORIES  (HAYDEN)  IN  FIRE  HOLE  BASIN, 
YELLOWSTONE    PARK— 1872 286 

BEAR  RIVER  CITY,  WYOMING,  ABOUT  1868 312 

WYOMING  STATE  MUSEUM— 1942 327 


Published  Quarterly   by 
THE  WYOMING  HISTORICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Clieyenne,  Wyoming 


The  State  Historical  Board,  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board  and  the 
State  Historical  Department  assume  no  responsibility  for  any  statement 
of    fact    or    opinion    expressed    by    contributors    to    the    ANNALS    OF 

WYOMING. 


The  Wyoming  State  Historical  Department  invites  the  presentation 
of  museum  items,  letters,  diaries,  family  histories  and  manuscripts  of 
Wyoming  citizens.  It  welcomes  the  writings  and  observations  of  those 
familiar  with  important  and  significant  events  in  the  State's  history. 

In  all  ways  the  Department  strives  to  present  to  the  people  of  Wyo- 
ming and  the  Nation  a  true  picture  of  the  State.  The  historical  maga- 
zine, ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  is  one  medium  through  which  the 
Department  seeks  to  gain  this  objective.  All  communications  concerning 
the  ANNALS  should  be  addressed  to  Mrs.  Gladys  F.  Riley,  Wyoming 
Historical  Department,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming. 


This  magazine  is  sent  free  of  charge  to  all  State  Officials,  heads  of 
State  Departments,  members  of  the  State  Historical  Advisory  Board, 
Wyoming  County  Libraries  and  Wyoming  newspapers. 

It  is  published  in  January,  April,  July  and  October. 


Kntered  as  second-class  matter  September  10,   1941,   at  the  Post  Oifice   in  Cheyenne, 
Wyoming,  under  the  Act  of  August  24,    1912. 


Coxjy right,    1942,    by   the   Wyoming   Historical   Department. 


STATE  HISTORICAL  BOARD 

Nels    H.    Smith,    President Governor 

Lester  C.  Hunt Secretary  of  State 

Wm.  "Scotty"  Jack State  Auditor 

Mart  T.  Cliristensen State  Treasurer 

Esther  L.  Anderson      ....      Superintendent   of   Public   Instruction 
Gladys  F.  Eiley,  Secretary      ....      State  Librarian  and  Historian 


STATE  HISTORICAL  ADVISORY  BOARD 


Mrs.  Mary  Jester  Allen,  Cody 

Frank  Barrett,  Lusk 

George  Bible,  Rawlins 

Mrs.  T.  K.  Bishop,  Basin 

C.  Watt  Brandon,  Kemmerer 

J.  Elmer  Brock,  Kaycee 

Struthers  Burt,  Moran 

Mrs.  Elsa  Spear  Byron,  Sheridan 

Mrs.  G.  C.  Call,  Af  ton 

Oliver  J.  Colyer,  Torrington 

J.  L.  Cook,  Sundance 

Mrs.  Esther  Crook,  Fairview 

William  C.  Deniing,  Cheyenne 

Mrs.  Robert  Douglas,  Newcastle 

Dr.  William  Fi-ackelton,  Sheridan 

Paul  Frison,  Ten  Sleep 

E.  A.  Gaensslen,  Green  River 

Hans  Gautschi,  Lusk 

Burt  Griggs,  Buffalo 

G.  R.  Hagens,  Casper 

R.  H.  Hall,  Lander 

Jack  Haynes,  Yellowstone  Park 

D.  B.  Hilt 


L.  B.  Howard,  Rock  Springs 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Hunter,  Gillette 
Mrs.  Josejih  H.Jacobucci,  Green  River 
P.  W.  Jenkins,  Big  Piney 
E.  V.  Knight,  Laramie 
W.  C.  Laurence,  Moran 
E.  A.  Logan,  Cheyenne 
Howard  B.  Lott,  Buffalo 
Mrs.  Eliza  Lythgoe,  Cowley 
R.  E.  MacLeod,  Torrington 
James  L.  Mcintosh,  Split  Rock 
A.  J.  Mokler,  Casper 
Mrs.  Elmer  K.  Nelson,  Laramie 
L.  L.  Newton,  Lander 
R.  I.  dinger,  Newcastle 
Charles  Oviatt,  Sheridan 
Mrs.  Minnie  Reitz,  Wheatland 
E.  B.  Shaffner,  Douglas 
Mrs.  Effie  Shaw,  Cody 
Mrs.  Tom  Sun,  Rawlins 
John  Charles  Thompson,  Cheyenne 
Russell  Thorp,  Cheyenne 
on,  Sundance 


STAFF  PERSONNEL 

OF 

THE   WYOMING   HISTORICAL   DEPARTMENT 

AND 

STATE   MUSEUM 


Gladys  F.  Riley,  Editor 
Lola  M.  Homsher,  Co-Editor 


State  Librarian  and   Historian 
Assistant  Historian 


SIDFOED  HAMP 

1872 


Taken  the  day  before  leaving  for  America 


Exploring  the  Yellowstone  with  Hay  den,  1872 

DIARY  OF  8IUFORD  HAMP 
Edited  by  Herbert  Oliver  Brayer" 

FORp:w()Rr) 

On  the  roster  of  those  hearty  spirits  wliose  untiring  efforts 
have  made  truly  important  contributions  to  our  knowledge  of 
America,  and  of  the  forces  and  resources  which  have  made  the 
United  States  potentially  wealthy  and  powerful,  the  name  of 
Dr.  Ferdinand  V.  Hayden  must  be  placed  along  side  of  those  of 
Lewis  and  Clarke,  Fremont,  Lonu',  Pike,  Wheeler.  Powell  and 
Byrd. 

The  "Hayden  Expeditions"  (United  States  Geological  Sur- 
vey of  the  Territories)  of  1871  and  1872,  into  the  vast  "won- 
derland" of  northwestern  Wyoming,  southern  ^Montana,  and 
the  western  border  of  Idaho,  were  far  from  the  first  exploratioiis 
in  that  region.  Many  persons  other  than  trappers,  hunters,  or 
Indians,  had  visited  "Colter's  Hell" — as  the  Yellowstone  Park 
was  sometimes  called.  The  existence  of  the  spectacular  geysers, 
the  weird  and  multicolored  hot  springs,  and  the  "Clreat  Yellow- 
stone Falls"  had  been  well  authenticated  by  1871,  but  it  re- 
mained for  Hayden  and  his  "group  of  bug-hunters",  as  the 
Helena  Weekly  Herald  referred  to  the  expedition  of  1872,  to 
investigate  these  wonders,  and  in  a  sense,  to  "advertise"  them 
to  the  nation  and  to  the  world. 

Thomas  Moran's  inspired  painting  of  the  "Grand  Canyon 
of  the  Yellowstone",  sketched  while  acting  as  "Otfit-ial  Artist" 
on  the  Hayden  expedition  of  1871.  was  purchased  for  H^IO.OOO 
by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  and  hung  in  the  national 
capitol  in  Washington.  A  score  of  other  ]Moran  paintiuirs  of 
the  Yellowstone  excited  interest  in  England.  France.  Holland 
and  Belgium. 

^BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH— Dr.  Herbert  O.  Braver,  bora  June  1. 
1913,  in  Montreal,  Canada,  obtained  his  IMi.  D.  degree  at  the  I'niversity 
of  California.  For  several  years  he  taught  Latin-American  History  at 
the  University  of  New  Mexico,  from  wliich  position  he  was  called  to 
become  State  Director  of  the  Historical  Records  Survey.  He  was  also 
director  of  the  Coronado  Cuarto  Centennial  celebration   in   New  Me.xico. 

Dr.  Braver  is  at  present  the  archivist  and  historian  for  the  Denver 
and  Rio  Grande  Western  Railroad  at  Denver,  Colorado.  He  is  the  author  of 
numerous  articles  and  books  including  To  Form  a  Moii  Pcrftrt  I'nion, 
FuchJo  Indian  Land  (h-ants  of  New  Mexico  and  Inscription  £<M-k.  He  is 
at  present  preparing  for  publication  a  work  on  the  life  of  William 
Blackmore,    Ihiglish   entrepreneur  of   tlu'   Southwest. 


254  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Using  the  tedious,  and  sometimes  disappointing,  wet-plate 
process,  photographer  William  Henry  Jackson  accompanied 
the  Harden  expeditions  of  1871  and  1872  into  the  Yellowstone 
country,  and  made  the  first  actual  photographs  of  the  geysers, 
hot  springs  and  falls.  His  pictures  proved  a  sensation  through- 
out America  and  Europe,  and  their  display  at  the  centennial 
exposition  in  1876  was  one  of  the  outstanding  features  of  that 
celebration.  Hayden's  reports,  maps,  and  surveys,  as  well  as 
those  of  his  collegues  on  the  various  expeditions,  were  among 
the  Government  Printing  Office  "best  sellers."  The  London 
Graphic,  Scrihners,  New  York  Times,  Neiv  York  Christian 
Weekly,  Leslie's  Illustrated  Newspaper,  and  other  periodicals 
carried  feature  stories  and  reproductions  of  many  pictures  and 
sketches  of  the  Yellowstone  region. 

From  the  scholarly  reports  of  the  savants,  as  well  as  from 
the  periodical  articles  of  the  writers  and  newsmen  who  accom- 
panied Dr.  Hay  den,  the  general  history  of  the  Yellowstone 
expeditions  has  become  well  known.  Of  interest  to  many  stu- 
dents, however,  are  the  ' '  human  aspects ' '  of  such  expeditions : 
The  personal  reactions  of  the  men  who  tramped  hundreds  of 
miles  through  semi-virgin  wilderness ;  their  thoughts,  words  and 
actions  under  the  diversity  of  conditions  which  confronted  them 
daily.  For  such  an  investigation  the  diary  of  Sidford  Hamp 
provides  an  unusual  source  of  primary  information. 

Sidford  Hamp  was  17  years  old  in  1872,  when,  at  the  so- 
licitation of  his  uncle  William  Blackmore,  Dr.  Hayden  con- 
sented to  employ  the  youth  as  a  general  assistant  on  the  Yel- 
lowstone expedition  of  that  year.  Blackmore,  an  English  law- 
yer and  financier,  had  met  Hayden  some  years  previous  while 
both  were  visiting  in  Utah,  and  their  mutual  interest  in  the 
"far  west"  had  developed  into  a  firm  friendship,  as  well  as 
business  relationship.  After  business  had  prevented  Black- 
more  from  accompanying  the  1871  expedition,  he  determined  to 
join  that  of  the  following  year.  His  financial  contribution  to 
the  1872  enterprise  made  possible  the  extended  work  of  that 
year. 

Hamp  lived  with  his  mother,  sisters,  and  brothers  at  Bed- 
ford, Bedfordshire,  England.  Tall  and  slender,  the  17  year  old 
youth  attended  the  public  school  and  listened  breathlessly  to 
the  stories  of  America  told  by  his  uncle.  The  invitation  to 
accompany  the  Hayden  expedition  in  1872  came  as  a  surprise ; 
Blackmore  had  taken  the  matter  up  with  Hayden  without  tell- 
ing the  boy  about  it.  After  the  expedition  and  his  return  to 
England,  Hamp  entered  the  tea  business  at  which  he  enjoyed 
considerable  success.  While  planning  another  expedition  to  the 
Yellowstone  in  1875,  Hayden  wrote  Hamp  inviting  him  to  join 
the   party,   but   Hamp,   having   just   returned   from   a    tour   of 


1)1  AEY  OF  SID  FORD  HAMP  255 

middle  Europe,  was  forced  to  decline  the  offer.  Two  years 
later  his  brother  Frank  became  seriously  ill  and  a  chanpre  in 
climate  became  imperative.  Blackmore  svi<i<»ested  to  the  Ilamps 
that  they  move  to  Colorado  Springs,  where  he  had  laro-e  liold- 
ings.  Mrs.  Hamp,  three  sons  and  one  daughter  arrived  in  the 
recently  founded  city  at  the  foot  of  Pike's  Peak  on  June  8, 
1877.  Sidford  Hamp  followed  his  family  to  Colorado  in  No- 
vember. In  1880  Hamp  moved  into  the  South  Park  mining 
district,  but  his  stay  was  short.  He  returned  to  Colorado  Springs 
where  he  joined  the  staff  of  the  Gazette.  As  the  author  of  nu- 
merous articles  and  stories,  Sidford  Hamp  became  well  kno^\ai. 

The  diary  of  a  17  year  old  English  boy,  on  his  first  visit 
to  the  United  States,  and  during  which  he  experienced  ad- 
ventures which  he  had  formerly  known  only  by  means  of  the 
then  popular  "'dime  novel",  has  an  unusual  human  interest. 
Startling  is  the  first  unexpected  appearance  of  ' '  Americanisms 
and  slang  in  the  otherwise  strictly  public  school  English  of  the 
diary.  The  boy's  adaptation  to  his  new  environment  was  rapid, 
albeit  sometimes  rather  painful,  especially  with  regard  to  the 
traditional   American   attitude  toward   everything   Britisli. 

A  graphic  description  of  the  first  ascent  of  the  Grand  Teton 
provides  further  evidence  in  the  "controversy"  as  to  who  was 
the  first  to  reach  the  top  of  that  rugged  peak.  To  this  writer 
there  is  no  controversy  on  this  point.  Under  date  of  July  29, 
the  Hamp  diary  describes  the  ascent  and  relates  how  Captain 
James  Stevenson  and  Superintendent  Nathaniel  P.  Langford 
reached  the  top  of  the  mountain,  while  he  and  several  com- 
panions remained  on  a  ledge  only  300  feet  below  tlie  top.  This 
account,  plus  those  of  Langford  (pages  89-90  of  the  Hayden 
report  of  the  expedition),  of  Dr.  F.  H.  Bradley,  Chief  Assistant 
Geologist  (pages  220  et.  seq.),  of  Dr.  Hayden  (page  2),  and  of 
Captain  Stevenson  and  other  members  of  the  expedition,  pro- 
vides ample  proof  by  men  whose  integrity  cainiot  be  cliallenged. 
Other  papers  of  the  expedition,  to  be  published  shortly  iu  a 
work  dealing  with  the  life  of  William  Blackmore,  will  add  to 
the  weight  of  this  conclusion. 

The  Hamp  diary  is  more  than  just  an  account  of  the  Hay- 
den expedition.  The  careful  reader  will  find  a  terse,  well- 
rounded  picture  of  life  in  the  United  States  in  1872.  It  is  the 
picture  of  this  nation , during  the  period  of  reconstruction  fol- 
lowing the  Civil  War,  of  expansion,  railroad  construction.- In- 
dian wars,  mining,  and  settlement.  Lastly,  the  diary  depicts 
"an  American  in  the  making",  for  Sidford  Hamp  found  Amer- 
ica much  to  his  liking. 


256  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [May  5-6,  1872] 


DIARY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMPi 

A  diary  of  a  Journey  to  America.  May  4th  A.  D.  1872.  1 
started  with  Mama,  from  Bedford,  by  the  1-2  train,  and  after 
passing  through  some  very  beautiful  country  in  Derbyshire,  we 
caught  sight  of  the  Niersey  and  the  Welsh  hills  in  the  distance 
and  soon  arrived  at  the  Brunswick  Station,  Liverpool,  where  we 
took  a  cab,  and  went  to  dine  with  Mr.  Tindal.  When  we  had 
dined,  we  (Henry  &  I)  went  to  Henry's  lodgings,  (17  Siddely 
St.,  Lark  Lane)  to  sleep,  and  sleep  I  did.  Rather  Whet. 

May  Sunday  5th.  Henry  and  I  went  to  Christ  church,  and 
at  2/30  to  Mr.  Tindal's  to  dinner.  Christ  church  is  a  large,  and 
finely  built  structure,  having  a  choral  service  which  might  be  bet- 
ter. I  received  today  a  book  (Poor  Jack)  from  Nelly,  and  a  letter, 
also  the  stockings  from  Wells.  After  tea  Mr.  Tindal,  Henry,  and 
I  went  to  Wootton  Hall,  the  property  of  Jeffreys,  the  Master  of 
Compton  House,  which  was  burnt  down,  and  caused  the  owner's 
failure  in  business.  After  supper  we  went  to  Siddely  St.  having 
walked  in  the  day  about  13  miles.    Cheangeable. 

Monday  6th.  Having  called  on  Mother  for  orders,  Henry 
and  I  proceeded  to  enquire  for  15  paccages,  directed  Blackmore, 
Liverpool  from  Salisbury,  at  no  particular  station,  having  left 
Salisbury  on  no  particular  day.  After  going  to  3  or  4  stations, 
we  went  down  to  the  docks,  and  saw  the  Egypt  unloading  and  re- 
loading. It  seemed  almost  impossible  that  one  vessel  could  carry 
the  quantity  of  cotton,  and  corn  that  she  did.  They  were  loading 
her  with  tin  packed  in  boxes,  as  we  saw  it  done  at  Swansea  in 
Midsummer  1871.  Having  examined  the  Egypt,  we  recommenced 
our  search  for  the  15  paccages,  aforesaid,  and  at  last  we  found 
them  at  the  South- Western  goods  station.  If  you  Avant  to  see  bussi- 
ness,  go  the  Liverpool  docks,  and  adjacent  railway  stations,  the 
heaps  of  cotton  and  corn  are  quite  amazing.  The  horses  about  here 
are  splendid,  and  the  noise  tremendous.  We  next  went  to  the 
Midland  St[ation]  for  my  hatbox  which  had  been  left  in  the  rail- 
"vvay-carriage,  and  having  recovered  it,  we  took  the  'bus  to  Sid- 
dely St.  Thence  we  had  to  take  a  car  to  Mossley  Hill,  for  we  had 
to  dine  at  Mr.  Reedes  at  5/30,  and  it  Avas  then  5  o  'c.  The  Reedes 
seemed  very  glad  to  see  us,  and  we  left  at  10  PM.  The  cars  about 
here  are  more  like  private  Broughams  than  cabs.  I  wrote  to  Nell 


1.  In  transcribing  this  diary,  the  text,  spelling,  punctuation  and  in- 
dividual characteristics  of  the  diary-author  have  been  retained  verbatim 
as  nearly  as  possible.  All  additions  to  the  original  manuscript  have  been 
])laced  in  brackets  with  the  exception  of  subheadings  in  boldface  type; 
material  in  parenthesis  was  added  by  Hamp.  Under  the  copyright  of 
the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  all  rights  are  reserved  on  this  article. 


[May  7-10,  1872]  DIAEY  OP^  SIDFORD  HAMP  257 

and  Uncle  George  today  in  Dad's  old  office,  in  North  John  St.- 
Whet.     Evening  fine. 

Tuesday  7th.  This  morning  I  wrote  my  diary  for  the  3 
preceding  days,  and  also  a  letter  to  Arthur,  in  reply  to  a  letter 
received  from  him  on  Saturday.  Having  called  for  Mama,  vv^e  went 
down  to  the  docks  to  look  after  annfs  luggage,  and  go  over  the 
Egypt.  We  afterwards  went  over  two  of  the  "White  Star"  line 
of  steamers,  the  Oceanic  and  Adriatic.  We  then  bought  7  or  8 
books  for  me,  amongst  them  a  "shakespear".  After  having  dined 
at  Mr.  Tindal's,  we  two  went  to  the  "Prince  of  Wales"  theatre 
and  saw  "Little  Emily"  and  "The  Field  of  the  ("loak  of  Gold." 
The  former  was  very  good  indeed,  the  latter  not  so  good  as  I 
expected.  We  got  home  about  12  o-clock.  Fine. 

Wednesday  8th.  We  went  to  the  "Adelphi"  and  saw  Mama 
and  aunt  at  the  door,  and  ]\Irs.  H[enr]y  Blackmore,^  and  Mrs.  and 
Edward  Hope- Jones  inside,  and  having  purchased  some  Oranges, 
and  raisins  for  Aunt,  we  went  back  to  Siddely  St.  from  thence 
we  went  in  a  car  to  Mr.  TindaFs  for  Mama,  and  then  went  on 
to  the  dock,  and  then  on  board  the  Egypt.  Having  got  my  lug- 
gage into  my  cabin  the  tender  went  back  to  Liverpool  with  Henry 
and  Mama,  and  so  began 

J\Iy  Sea  Voyage 

The  vessel  started  at  about  7  P.  M.  and  half  an  hour  after 
we  went  down  to  tea.  While  we  were  at  tea  we  passed  New  Brigh- 
ton, where  Mama  and  Henry  had  gone,  I  believe,  to  look  out  for 
us,  but  of  course  it  was  no  use,  nevertheless  we  waved  our  hand- 
kerchiefs, in  the  vain  hope  that  they  might  be  seen.  As  it  got  dark 
the  light  houses  began  to  show,  and  soon  that  was  all  we  could 
see  of  Old  England.  My  berth  was  very  comfortable,  and  I  slept 
well.  Fine  though  cold. 

Thursday  9tii.  When  we  got  up  we  could  see  Ireland  on  the 
right,  and  lots  of  gulls  behind.  At  about  3  PM  we  got  to  Queens- 
town,  and  about  300  Irish  came  on  board,  and  one  named  Gour- 
tenay  shared  my  cabin,  he  was  about  as  big  as  me  and  not  a  bad 
sort  of  fellow.  We  started  from  Queenstown  at  4  30,  and  at  about 
9  we  went  to  bed  both  feeling  rather  sick,  and  having  seen  the 
last  of  Ould  Ireland.  Fine. 

Friday  10th.  Today,  and  the  3  following  days  1  was  ill,  and 
so  was  my  companion.  Notliing  occured  except  that  we  sighted 


2.  ''l^nt'le  Geoi'go " '  was  George  Lear  Hhu'knu>re,  eeusiii  of  Wil- 
liam Blaekmore  and  a  remote  cousin  of  Sidford  Hamp.  He  settled  in  the 
San  Luis  Valley  in  Colorado  in  1872,  and  raised  a  large  family. 

3.  Henry  Blaekmore  was  a  brother  of  William  Blaekmore.  He 
married  Charlotte  Polhill  and  in  1S72  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
and  became  a  pioneer  in  the  San  Luis  ValK\v  in  southern  Colorado. 


258  AjSTNALS  OF  WYOMING  [May  14-18,  1872] 

2  ships,  and  the  gulls  left  us,  after  coming  about  200  miles  from 
land.  Generally  Fine. 

Tuesday  14th.  I  was  rather  better  today,  but  at  night  the 
wind  rose  and  so  did  the  sea.  I  was  in  bed,  and  Courtenay  was 
undressing  when  a  tremendous  lurch  came,  and  sent  him  and  my 
boxes  and  books  flying  from  one  end  of  the  room  to  the  other, 
two  or  three  times.  Fine. 

Wednesday  15th.  (One  week  from  home)  Today  I  was  much 
better,  and  had  a  good  breakfast  and  lunch.  In  the  morning  we 
got  into  a  fog  and  the  captain  was  very  much  afraid  of  icebergs, 
and  the  whistle  kept  going  every  few  minutes,  to  warn  any  ship 
that  might  be  near.  In  the  afternoon  it  cleared  off,  but  it  was 
very  cold,  with  the  thermometer  at  42'  and  the  heat  of  the  water 
about  41'.  In  the  evening  we  had  a  good  deal  of  music  and  I 
slept  better  than  I  ever  have  done  on  board  yet. 

Thursday  16th.  I  went  on  deck  before  breakfast  and  found 
a  great  change  in  the  temperature,  it  being  at  58'  and  the  water 
at  60'.  One  of  the  (luarter-masters  told  me,  that  he  had  known  it 
as  low  as  25'  and  the  water  at  72',  but  that  was  in  the  gulf 
stream.  I  am  now  quite  well,  and  enjoy  my  meals  immensely.  It 
is  raining  hard  just  now  so  I  have  nothing  to  do  but  read,  and 
eat  raisins.  Today  a  German  in  the  steerage  died,  of  what  I  don't 
know,  and  was  hurried  at  10  P.  M.  There  was  a  beautiful  sunset 
tonight.  The  sky  was  like  fire,  and  there  was  an  enormous  cloud 
through  the  cracks  of  which  the  red  appeared.  We  had  some 
music  this  evening.  Very  fine. 

Friday  17th.  This  morning  a  vessel  of  the  Cunard  line 
passed,  bound  for  England,  and  another  sailing  vessel  from  Hali- 
fax bound  for  the  Bermudas.  The  thermometer  has  gone  down  to 
43'  again  and  it  rains  at  present.  We  had  a  most  beautiful  moon- 
light night,  and  hardly  a  wave  on  the  ocean.  Changeable. 

Saturday  18th.  This  morning  the  water  was  almost  like 
glass  and  the  sun  sparkled  like  diamonds  on  it.  The  pilot  boat 
came  today,  and  before  it  appeared  some  sweep-stakes  were  got 
up  2/6  each  to  the  ammount,  of  3  sovereigns.'*  It  was  a  beautiful 
boat  and  sat  on  the  water  just  like  a  duck.  The  men  in  it  cheered 
as  they  went  by  after  the  pilot  had  come  on  board.  The  boat  stop- 
ped this  morning  at  about  3  o-clock,  because  the  screw  was  too 
hot.  In  the  evening  it  was  intended  to  have  some  dancing,  but 
some  steamers  coming  from  Ncav  York  and  being  signalled, 
with  rockets  and  blue  lights  effectualy,  put  a  stop  to  it.  The 
first  vessel  we  signalled,  was  not  an  European  vessel.  The  2nd 
was  one  of  the  White  Star  line,  the  3rd  of  the  Inman,  the  4th 
of  the  North  German  Lloyd,  company.  There  was  one  other 
which  they  did  not  know.     Some  people  stayed  up  all  night  in 


4.     The  equivalent  of  2  shillings,  6  pence  was  approximately  sixty- 
two  cents;  a  sovereign  equalled  about  $4.84. 


[May  19-21,  1872]        DIAEY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  259 

expectation  of  land  bnt  I  went  to  bed  and  did  not  wake  u)) 
till   6  AM   on 

New  York,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  Vicinity 

Sunday  19th.  The  vessel  stopped  and  I  jnmped  ont  of  my 
berth,  and  looking  from  my  port  hole  canght  my  first  glimps[e] 
of  America,  and  very  miserable  it  looked,  for  it  was  raining  hard. 
We  soon  moved  on  and  got  opposite  dock  No.  47.  And  then  they 
began  to  get  up  the  luggage,  and  it  began  not  to  rain,  the  doctor 
came  on  board  to  examine  the  passengers,  and  the  custom  hojs? 
officers  to  give  us  a  ticket  of  our  luggage.  At  last  the  steamer  came 
alongside  and  we  all  got  on,  and  set  off,  (the  Engines  working  on 
deck).  We  cheered  the  captain  and  ship  and  the  steerage  pas- 
sengers and  officers  cheered  back.  At  last  we  landed  and  the  cus- 
toms house  officers  examined  our  luggage.  (One  man — a  Dutch- 
man— had  a  lot  of  jewelry  about  his  pei"son,  to  the  amount  of 
$30,000,  but  he  had  to  strip  and  be  searched.  I  don't  know  what 
became  of  him.)  So  that  is  the  end  of  my  sea  voyage.  We  next 
took  a  cab  to  "Everett  House"  and  there  we  saw  Uncle  and  a  ^Ir. 
Blackwell  and  there  we  had  dinner.-^  Such  a  good  one,  with  such 
lots  of  ice.  I  went  to  bed  and  slept  like  a  top  after  my  hard  day's 
work.  It  was  the  most  unSundaylike  Sunday  I  ever  had. 

Monday  20th.  After  breakfast  Uncle  shewed  us  some  sham 
jewelry  he  had  got  for  the  Indians  and  he  promised  me  a  pistol, 
such  a  jolly  one.  Mrs.  H[enr]y  B[lackmore]  and  the  kids  and  I 
went  for  a  drive  round  Central  Park.  It  is  larger  than  any  London 
park  but  the  trees  ar[e]  not  large,  the  houses  are  mostly  about  6 
stories  high,  more  or  less,  and  there  is  no  smoke.  After  lunch  ]\Irs. 
H[enr]y  [Blackmore]  and  I  went  to  Taylors  Hotell,  Jersey  City 
to  Mr.  Wenerer  [  ?]  ;  Uncle  had  given  me  50  dollars  yesterday 
and  I  have  spent  $3.48  already  but  I  can't  account  for  10  v-ents 
of  it.  AVe  had  another  very  good  dinner  and  I'  posted  a  letter 
for  Uncle  and  sent  two  guns  to  be  shelled.  Hot. 

Tuesday  21.  Uncle  and  Mr.  Blackwell  went  to  Wasliington 
to  get  some  bill  passed,  but  it  has  not  been  tried  yet.*'  We  all  went 
for  a  walk  up  the  Broadway,  it  is  about  4  miles  long  and  has  only 
2  or  3  bends  in  it.  Uncle  gave  me  a  fish  to  take  to  a  Di-.  (^tis  some- 
where  about   39th   St.      Rather   a    vauue   errand    tint    1    coul.l 


5.  "Uncle"  William  Blackmore;  Blackwell  was  th.e  Enjrlisli  man- 
ager of  the  famous  Emma  Mines  in  Utah  and  in  wiiich  Blackmor.'  liad 
a  large  interest. 

(3.  The  bill  in  which  Blackmore  was  deeply  interested  was  an  act 
granting  a  right-of-way  over  public  domain  to  the  newly  founded 
Denver  <J-  Bio  Grande  Bailwaii  Compain/  of  Colorado  and  New  Meji<-o. 
After  considerable  bickering  the  act  was  approved  bv  Congress  on  June 
8,   1872. 


260  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [May  22-24, 1872] 

not  find  out  where  he  lived  even  in  the  directory  so  Mr.  Dunn 
said  he  would  send  it  for  me.'^  Hot. 

Wednesday  22.  (.2  weeks  [from  home].)  Aunt  and  I  started 
for  Washington  at  12/30  bj'  the  N[ew]  Y[ork]  and  Washington 
Air  Line  in  the  pul[l]man  car,  which  contains  3  rows  of  arm 
chairs,  and  have  windows  by  the  side  of  each  outside  chare,  so 
that  one  can  sit  with  one's  head  out  of  the  window  with  perfect 
ease.  After  passing  through  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  and 
corossing  2  or  3  very  broad  rivers  (which  perhaps  are  narrow 
here)  we  arrived  at  Washington  and  were  met  by  Mr.  Blackwell. 
We  went  to  the  Arling-ton,  and  to  bed,  after  a  good  supper. 

Thursday  23.  My  3  seniors  Avent  out  to  breakfast  with  a 
general  this  morning,  and  I  had  to  feed  alone.**  I  had  a  couple  of 
eggs,  and  as  they  did  not  provide  cups,  I  was  rather  at  a  loss  how 
to  eat  them.  I  remembered  Mr.  Chamberlains  dodge  and  tried  it, 
but  the  eggs  were  boiled  to  hard,  so  I  had  to  hold  them  in  my 
hand.  When  Aunt  came  home  we  went  to  the  Capitol,  which  is  a 
Magnificent  building,  even  better  than  our  houses  of  Parliament. 
It  is  entirely  built  of  white  marble,  except  some  parts  inside  and 
it  is  also  painted  inside  in  a  most  beautiful  stile.  There  are  too 
a  good  many  pictures,  mostly  upon  the  war  of  Independence 
which  are  anything  but  pleasant  to  an  Englishman 's  feelings.  AYe 
saw  also  the  picture  of  the  "Great  Canon  of  the  Yellowstone  Ri- 
ver" by.  Thomas  Moran.^  In  the  afternoon  we  went  to  Arlington, 
the  residence  of  the  late  General  Lee,  which  was  confiscated,  after 
the  war.  We  saw  also  a  grave  yard  of  about  50,000  Soldiers,  all 
in  rows  and  having  little  white  boards  about  2  ft  high  at  the  head 
of  each.  There  are  several  large  buildings  here,  "The  Treasury, 
The  Patent  Office,  The  Town  Hall,  and  the  White  House."  I 
have  mentioned  the  Capitol  already.  The  town  is  laid  out  some- 
what in  the  style  of  a  cobweb,  having  the  Capitol  and  the  White 
House  as  centres  and  the  avenues  leading  to  them  all  round,  these 
are  paved  with  wood,  and  are  very  pleasant  to  drive  upon.  Fine. 

Friday  24th.  Aunt,  Mr.  Blackwall,  and  I,  went  for  a  picnic 
to  day  given  by  a  Philps  (cousin  to  Philps  the  English  Artist,) 
consisting  of  about  24  ladies  and  gentlemen,  we  had  a  pl[e]asant 


7.  Dr.  T.  M.  Otis  of  New  York,  author  of  articles  on  Central  Amer- 
ica, anthroijologist ;  John  Dunn  was  a  young  New  York  attorney  who  knew 
the  Southwest  intimately,  and  served  Blackmore  as  an  investigator  and 
agent  in  tlie  purchase,  confirmatioi^,  and  development  of  several  Span- 
ish or  Mexican  Land  Grants  in  the  vicinity  of  Taos,  New  Mexico. 

8.  The  Blackmores  breakfasted  with  General  C.  Highe,  a  member 
of  Congress.  Blackmore  sought  the  General 's  assistance  in  pushing  the 
passage  of  the  then  pending  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Eailway  right-of- 
way  bill. 

9.  This  laainting,  probably  the  most  famous  of  the  many  painted 
by  Thomas  Moran,  was  made  from  sketches  made  by  the  artist  during 
his  visit  to  the  Yellowstone  in  1871,  in  company  with  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey  party  under  Dr.  Ferdinand"  Y.  Hayden. 


[May  25-28,  ]872]         DIARY  OF  SJDFORD  HAMP  261 

Steam  doM^ii  the  "Potomac",  so  celebrated  in  the  late  wai\  and 
landed,  and  rambled  on  the  shore  3  times.  I  made  the  acquaintance 
of  a  captain,  and  a  little  Frenchman.  The  latter  was  most  wonder- 
fully well  up  in  all  the  English  authors,  and  was  most  ti-emend- 
ously  talkative.  1  forgot  to  say,  that  I  went  with  Uncle  in  vhe 
evening;  yesterday,  and  was  introduced  to  Colonel  Smoot,  and 
saw  the  capitol  liy  gaslight.     Fine.     Thunder  in  the  evening. 

Saturday  25.  When  I  came  down  this  morning  I  found  ]\Ir. 
Moran,  and  Professor  Hay  den  in  the  room,  and  having  break- 
fasted with  them,  we  all  (except  Mr.  M[oranl.)  went  to  see  some 
Indians. ^0  The  first  we  saw  was  a  chief  named  "Red  Cloud"  to 
whom  ITncle  gave  a  knife,  and  the  chief  shook  hands,  and  said 
how!  how!  which  is  the  utmost  extent  of  their  English.  We  next 
saw  two  squaws  to  whom  Aunt  gave  each  a  shawl,  and  some  sham 
jewelrj',  they  were  very  pl[e]ased  and  chattered  in  their  own 
tongue  like  women !  Then  we  saw  8  or  9  Indians  of  the  Sioux  in 
a  room  sitting  on  their  beds,  and  we  all  shook  hands  with  them, 
and  said  how !  how !  Then  aunt  and  1  came  home,  and  bought 
some  bananas,  and  ate  some  bananas.  (They  are  raihcy  better 
than  those  we  got  at  Mr.  TindaFs.).  After  dinner  we  went  to  the 
"Smithsonian  JMuseum"  and  so  did  the  Indians.  Lots  of  people 
were  there  to  see  them,  and  they  seemed  rather  to  enjoy  them- 
selves. They  were  dressed  iu  plain  clothes,  which  did  not  look 
at  all  well.  They  were  mostly  big  fellows,  but  they  did  not  seem 
able  to  stand  much  fatigue.  In  the  evening  we  all  went  for  a 
little  drive,  to  the  house  of  a  little  man,  and  had  a  little  nuisic. 
and  talk,  and  supper,  and  standing  up,  and  sitting  down,  and  a 
little  drive  home  again.  Changeable. 

Sunday  26.  In  the  mornuig  about  7  ocloek,  Mr.  Dunn  came 
and  went  to  bed  in  the  room  next  ours.  I  wrote  to  Mother  ioday. 
We  went  to  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany,  they  haA'e  the  service 
rather  different  here,  for  they  pray  for  President  Grant  instead 
of  the  Queen,  and  for  the  Senate.  In  the  afternoon  we  went  for  a 
driA'e,  through  someones  grounds. 

Monday  27.  We  stayed  in  doors  the  greater  part  of  the  day. 
In  the  evening  we  went  to  the  Capitol,  to  see  it  by  gass  light.  It 
looked  very  nice,  but  the  House  of  Representatives  was  not  sitting. 

Tuesday  28.  We  went  wyi  to  the  Ca]iitol,  and  luid  lunch  at  a 

10.  Thomas  Moran,  noted  painter  of  the  Yellowstone.  Utrand  Can- 
yon of  the  Colorado,  Mount  of  the  Holy  Cross  and  many  other  fanunis 
western  scenes;  Dr.  Ferdinand  V.  Ilayden  was  professor  of  Geolojjy  on 
the  faculty  of  the  University  of  I'ennsylvania,  and  earned  national 
attention  throufjh  his  stutly  of  the  west  while  first  a  member  of  several 
military  survey  parties  from  lSn4  to  ISdO,  and  later  as  the  leader  of  the 
United  States  (leological  Survey  expeditions.  William  Blackmore  re- 
counted that  while  very  few  English  hoys  could  recall  the  name  of  the 
president  of  the  United  States,  "all  knew  intimately  the  stories  of  Dr. 
Hayden  "s  ex})editions  into  the  wild  Indian  country  of  the  Far  West."' 


262  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [May  29-30, 1872] 

little  inn,  then  we  went  shopping,  and  calling,  and  home.  In  the 
evening  we  went  for  a  drive  about  the  town. 

Wednesday  29.  (3  weeks  [from  home].)  Today  at  10/30  AM 
we  all  went  down  to  the  dock,  to  go  on  an  excursion  down  the 
river.  (The  Indians  were  to  come,  and  some  friend's  of  Uncle's) 
At  about  a  qua[r]ter  to  Eleven  they  came,  and  off  we  started. 
Nothing  happened  till  after  lunch,  when  4  of  the  Red  Gentry 
sang  us  a  song,  and  then  "Red  Dog"  made  a  speech,  saying  that 
"they  had  been  treated  very  friendly  in  Washington,  and  he 
would  treat  any  one  kindly  who  might  come  to  his  country." 
Two  negroes  on  board  sang  us  some  songs  and  then  we  went  down 
to  dinner.  It  was  such  a  lark  to  see  the  Injuns  eat.  One  mixed 
strawberries  and  olives  together  another  plumbcake  and  pickled 
oisters.  Some  ate  holding  the  things  in  their  hands,  and  some 
ate  ice  cream,  pineapple,  and  fowl  all  at  once,  with  a  knife  and 
fork.  Altogether  they  managed  very  well.  During  desert  Uncle 
made  a  speech  and  proposed  health  of  the  President,  the  Queen, 
and  the  Chiefs,  and  their  s<iuaws  &c.  The  Indians  answered  but  I 
could  not  here  the  interpreter.  Afterwards  "Red  Cloud"  made  a 
very  good  speech  and  said  that  "he,  and  the  others  were  very 
much  pleased  with  their  treat,  and  that  he  should  tell  his  people 
at  home."  In  a  little  while  we  got  back,  and  all  the  Indians 
shook  hands  with  Uncle  and  Aunt,  and  one  gave  Uncle  a  beau- 
tiful tobacco-pouch.  Every  one,  I  think,  enjoyed  themselves 
very  much.  In  the  evening  Uncle  told  me  to  get  2  coppies  of 
each  City  paper,  but  it  was  so  late  that  nearly  all  were  sold,  so  I 
had  to  walk  right  to  the  other  end  of  Pen[n]sylvania  Avenue 
and  go  into  10  shops  before  I  could  get  them.  Very  fine.  I  for- 
got one  anecdote  of  the  Indians,  one  of  the  ladies  had  some 
gold  in  her  teeth,  and  one  Indian  put  his  finger  right  into  her 
mouth,  to  point  it  out  to  his  companions. 

Thursday  30.  This  morning  I  got  up  at  7  oc.  and  at  8/30  I 
went  with  Mr.  Schindler,^^  the  Indian  artist,  to  see  the  Indians 
photographed,  after  waiting  some  time  at  their  hotel  they  came 
down,  and  we  went  through  the  streets,  to  the  admiration  of  all 
beholders,  (perhaps).  About  8  were  taken,  one  looked  very  well 
indeed.  His  name  was  "Slow  Buffalo,"  and  he  was  very  broad- 
chested.  Afterwards  we  went  through  the  Botanical  Gardens, 
and  by  the  street  car  to  the  Navy  Yard.  The  sentinel  would  not  let 
us  pass  at  first  but  Mr.  Schindler  said  we  were  from  England  and 
were  going  on  Saturday,  so  we  got  through.  We  saw  lots  of  can- 
nons and  shot,  four  "Monitors"  and  a  fire  engine.  We  also  saw 


11.  Zeno  Schindler  was  a  well-known  photographer.  He  divided 
his  time  between  New  York,  his  home  and  principal  place  of  business, 
and  Washington,  D.  C.  Blackmore  purchased  Schindler 's  entire  Indian 
collection  of  approximately  300  negatives.  Part  of  these  pictures  Avere 
defiosited   with   the   Smithsonian  Institution. 


[May  31-June3,  1872]  DIARY  OF  81DF0RD  HAMP  263 

some  steel  targets  with  canon  balls  sticking  in  them  and  gone 
right  through.  Some  were  6  inches  some  12,  some  had  india-rubber 
behind,  some  wood,  the  balls  had  gone  through  all  except  the  12 
Inch.  Then  I  came  home  by  tram  and  met  Professor  Hayden  in  it. 
In  the  evening  I  went  to  get  some  papers  for  Uncle,  and  at  8/30 
we  went  to  professor  Henry's.^-  Changeable. 

Friday  31.  Today  I  got  up  at  8  oc.  to  go  with  Mr.  Schindler 
to  the  Great  Falls.  We  went  through  Georgetown  and  tried  to  get 
a  canal-boat  but  one  had  just  started,  and  we  had  to  walk  after 
it.  On  our  walk  we  saw  the  chain  bridge,  which  was  washed  away 
2  years  ago  by  the  floods,  which  must  have  been  tremendous,  for 
the  bridge  was  about  50  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water.  After 
walking  5  miles,  we  got  on  board  the  boat  at  the  first  lock.  We 
passed  through  14  locks  and  saw  some  very  fine  scenery,  and 
Johnson's  aquacluct  which  is  about  230  feet  high,  and  has  a  span 
of  about  100  feet.  We  heard  lots  of  frogs,  and  the  "Whip  poor 
Will,"  and  when  we  arrived  a  man  called  across  the  river  for 
Dickay,  who  was  to  be  our  host.  They  use  a  very  peculiar  cry 
(which  the  soldiers  of  the  South  used,)  to  call  each  other  across 
the  river,  and  it  sounds  very  nice  amongst  the  rocks  and  woods. 
We  crossed  the  river  where  it  was  about  80  feet  broad,  very  calm, 
and  having  (as  Dicey  said)  no  bottom.  However  it  was  more 
than  100  feet  deep,  and  went  down  direct  from  the  shore.  We 
walked  through  the  woods  a  short  way  to  Dicey 's  house,  and  had 
tea,  and  then  went  to  see  the  falls,  which  are  very  good,  about  60 
feet  high,  and  extending  about  80  yards  back.  The  house  was  an 
old  log  hut,  about  100  years  old,  all  white-washed,  and  very 
clean.  After  a  good  plain  supper  we  went  to  bed.  Fine. 

Saturday  1st  op  Ji'nk.  We  got  up  this  morning  at  5  30  and 
after  a  look  at  the  falls,  we  had  breakfast,  and  then  went  to  fish, 
but  caught  nothing.  We  bathed  our  feet,  and  then  had  dinner. 
After  dinner  we  went  to  look  for  quartz-arrow  heads,  and  I  found 
one,  and  bought  7  others  for  20  cents.  Then  we  started  home  at 
4  oc,  by  canal-steamer,  and  arrived  by  9  oc  at  Georgetown.  We 
heard  lots  of  tree  frogs,  and  one  bull-frog,  which  makes  an  auFuU 
row  just  like  a  bull.  Fine. 

Sunday  2.  Aunt  and  I  went  to  church,  and  in  the  afternoon 
we  drove  to  the  chain  bridge,  which  I  mentioned  before.  Fine. 

Monday  3.  I  went  with  Mr.  Schindler  to  see  some  more  In- 
dians photographed,  and  then  went  to  his  house  where  he  shewed 
me  some  of  his  pictures,  and  gave  me  a  likeness  of  liimself  and 
an  Indian  friend  of  his.  In  the  evening  we  went  to  see  some  Japs 
perform.  They  were  not  half  so  good  as  those  we  saw  at  Bedford. 
Fine. 

12.  Professor  Joseph  Henry  was  Secretary  of  the  Sniithsouinii  In- 
stitution, and  assisted  Dr.  Hayden  in  the  organization  of  the  1871  sur- 
vey of  the   Yellowstone. 


?64  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  '     [June  4-9,  1872] 

Tuesday  4.  Aunt  and  1'  went  today,  by  the  same  line  to  NeM' 
York.  They  have  a  splendid  dodge  for  taking  care  of  yonr  luggage. 
When  you  go  to  the  station  you  get  some  brass  checks  for  it  and 
when  you  give  it  up  you  have  no  more  trouble  with  it,  for  they 
send  it  anywhere  you  like  when  the  train  stops.  I  don't  suppose 
it  could  be  done  in  England  where  there  is  so  very  much  travel- 
ling, and  the  towns  are  so  large.  AVe  got  all  right  to  N.  York,  and 
had  supper,  and  went  to  bed.  Whet. 

Wednesday.  5.  (4  weeks  [from  home].)  When  we  got  up  we 
found  that  Uncle  had  come  in  the  night  to  the  Everett.  After 
breakfast  we  went  to  see  the  Indians  who  had  come  to  N  York  by 
the  same  train  as  ourselves.  Thefy]  seemed  A'ery  pleased  to  see 
Aunt,  especially  "Red  Cloud"  who  said  "how"  a  great  many 
times,  and  gave  her  a  tobacco-pouch  (not  quite  so  good  at  Uncle's) 
and  promised  her  something  better  when  she  came  to  see  him  in 
his  own  country.  ( I  forgot  to  say  that  on  Saturday,  while  I  was  at 
supper,  some  one  touched  me  on  the  shoulder  and  looking  round  I 
saw  Courtnay,  who  had  come  that  evening.  I  saw  his  sister  too, 
who  had  got  married,  since  she  had  landed :  I  have  not  seen  them 
since.)  In  the  evening  I  went  to  dinner  to  Mr.  Squire's  [Squierl, 
and  met  a  good  many  people. ^^  Mr.  Frank  Leslie,  the  editor  of 
the  "Illustrated"  Newspaper,  and  Col  Church  being  2  of  them. 
Whet. 

Joun? eying  Westv/ard 

Thursday  6.  Aunt  and  I  started  for  Niagara  today,  and 
arrived  without  adventure  at  about  12  at  Night.  Fine. 

Friday  7.  We  went  today  to  see  the  falls,  which  I  can't  de- 
scribe, and  down  the  cliff,  and  under  one  of  the  falls,  of  course  Ave 
were  properly  dressed  but  we  got  wet  through.  It  was  very  jolly 
and  the  spray  blew  so  hard  against  us  that  we  could  not  see  a 
bit.  In  the  afternoon  we  saw  the  "Whirlpool"  the  "Rapids",  the 
Devils  Hole,  where  a  battle  was  fought  and  the  soldiers  forced 
over  the  cliif .  Whet. 

Saturday  8.  (1  month  [from  home].)  We  saw  the  falls  from 
the  Canada  side  today,  and  a  spring  that  tasted  like  egg,  and  was 
so  full  of  gas,  that  it  could  be  lighted  with  a  spill.  In  the  afternoon 
I  made  a  sketch  of  Niagara  Falls.  Such  a  beauty.  Whet.  (I  be- 
lieve it  is  Maury 's  birthday. ) 

Sunday  9.  We  went  to  the  Indian  Village  church  today,  they 
read  the  bible  in  Indian,  and  sang  a  hymn  in  English.  I  got  a 
letter  from  Mama  dated  21  May/72,  on[e]  from  Nellie  dated  20th 
and  one  from  Lizzie  dated  23rd.  On  the  way  home  from  cliurch 
we  saw  part  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  Brock's  Monument,  which  is  185 
feet  high.  The  rapids  here  are  200  feet  broad,  and  250  ft.  deep. 
Fine. 

].3.     T^r.    Epliraim    George   Squier,   arclieologist,   jouinalist,    diplomat. 


[June  10-18,  1872]        DIAEY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  265 

Monday.  10.  We  went  over  to  Goat  Island,  and  sat  in  the  shade 
to  read :  in  the  evening  we  went  for  a  walk,  and  saw  some  small- 
boys  playing  rounders  which  felt  much  inclined  to  join.  Fine. 

Tuesday  11.  Went  over  to  Goat  Island,  read  some  of  Gil  Bias, 
sent  to  have  my  locks  picked,  (I  am  writing  this  while  I  wait  for 
the  man).  Went  over  to  the  Canada  side  of  the  river.  Uncle  came 
in  the  evening.  Fine. 

Wednesday  12.  (5  weeks  [from  home].)  We  started  for  the 
west,  and  slept  on  the  car  for  the  first  time.  There  was  plenty  of 
room,  and  you  could  lie  in  bed  and  see  out  of  the  window,  if  you 
had  the  lower  berth.  Fine. 

Thursday  13.  We  arrived  at  Chicago,  and  saw  some  of  the 
ruins,  but  they  have  built  up  a  great  many  fine  houses  again  ;i* 
We  slept  on  the  car  again  that  night.  Fine.  I  forgot  to  say,  that 
as  we  got  near  Cedar  Rapids  we  found  the  rails  were  washed 
away  and  we  had  to  walk  across  a  trestle  bridge  at  about  9  oclock, 
with  the  moon  shining,  and  if  any  one  got  in  front  of  you,  and 
made  a  shadow,  you  couldn't  see  wfhjere  you  were  going.  We  got 
over  ail  right — with  all  our  baggage.  When  I  woke  up  that  same 
morning  I  found  that  we  were  on  the  praries,  and  the  first  thing 
I  saw,  was  2  im[m]igrant  Avaggons  crossing  the  praries  all 
alone. 

Friday  14.  When  I  woke  up,  I  found  we  had  stopped  because 
the  lines  Avere  washed  aAvay  ahead,  and  so  Ave  had  to  stay  there  all 
day.  In  the  evening  we  started  again,  and  had  to  travel  very 
sloAvly  for  fear  the  lines  should  not  be  safe,  but  Ave  got  through 
all  right,  and  I  went  to  bed.  Fine. 

Saturday  15.  We  got  to  Omaha  all  right  and  changed  trains. 
We  found  all  our  friends  the  Indians  in  the  train.  They  Avere  very 
glad  to  see  us  and  "Red  Cloud"  gave  Uncle  his  blanket.  Ave  then 
started  for  Chayanne  and  I  Avent  to  bed.  Fine.  Thunder  &c. 

Sunday  16.  AVe  got  to  Chayenne,  and  then  Avent  on  to  Den- 
ver which  Ave  reached  in  the  evening,  and  saAv  the  sunset  behind 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  Avliich  looked  A^ery  fine  indeed.  Fine. 

Monday  17.  We  Avent  today  to  Colorado  Springs  up  anmngst 
the  Mountains.  This  Avater  tasted  just  like  soda  Avater,  Ave  saw  the 
garden  of  the  Gods,  and  the  Red  Canon  Avhicli  belongs  to  Uncle. 
We  went  back  to  the  hotel  in  the  midst  of  a  tremendous  storm. 
but  I  didn't  get  Avhet. 

Tuesday  18.  We  went  10  miles  up  the  Mountains  to  the  mill. 
Uncle  had  offered  to  Uncle  Ilim.  It  is  a  splendid  country  there 
and  has  lots  of  pine  timber  and  a  nice  stream  running  down  the 
middle  of  the  Gorge,  called  "La  Fontaine  qui  bouille. "  We  also 
saw  some  beaver  AA'ork  in  the  stream.  In  the  evening  Ave  came 
home,  and  saAv  a  large  grey  Avolfe  on  the  prarie.  On  Saturday 
we  saw  lots  of  deer,  and  prarie  dogs.  Fine. 


14.     Hamp  refers  to  the  "Great  Cliieaofo  Fire"  ot*  October.  1S71. 


266  •  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [June  19-25,  1872] 

Wednesday.  19.  (5  weeks  [from  home].)  We  stayed  in  Den- 
ver today.  I  walked  about  the  town,  which  plenty  of  fine  shops, 
and  in  the  evening  we  went  a  drive  round  the  outskirts  of  the 
town.  Fine. 

Thursday  20.  I  bought  some  things  in  the  town  for  Aunt, 
in  the  morning,  and  after  dinner  we  started  for  Salt  Lake,  and 
slept  on  the  train.  We  went  through  Sherman,  the  highest  sta- 
tion in  the  world.  Fine. 

Salt  Lake  City 

Friday.  21.  We  got  to  Ogden  all  right,  and  met  Mr.  &  Mrs. 
Hayden  there,  then  we  went  on,  without  Uncle,  and  passed 
through  a  Gorge,  wdiere  we  saw  some  beautiful  scenery :  we  saw 
the  "Devils  Slide,"  the  "Pulpit  Rock"  and  the  "Devils  Gate," 
and  in  about  2  hours  we  got  to  ' '  Salt  Lake  City. ' '  We  drove  to 
the  hotel  in  the  bus,  and  went  to  bed.  Fine. 

Saturday  22.  We  drove  about  the  town,  which  looks  very 
nice,  and  has  streams  each  side  of  the  streets  and  trees  every 
where.  Uncle  came,  and  in  the  evening' we  went  up  to  the  camp  on 
the  mountain  to  General  Stoneover.  We  saw  some  Indian  curious- 
ities,  and  then  drove  home.  I  had  to  sleep  in  a  sort  of  public  room. 
I  had  a  sulpher  bath  this  morning.  Fine. 

Sunday  23.  Today  I  was  sick  and  had  diar[r]hea,  so  I 
stayed  in  all  day.  In  the  evening  I  was  better.  I  was  asked  to  lunch 
on  Monday  by  someone.  Fine. 

Monday  24.  I  had  a  sulpher  bath  again  today,  and  read  a 
book  called  "Harry  Ogilvie"  by  James  Grant.  I  Avent  at  12  oc.  to 
the  Bank  to  lunch,  but  my  host  didn't  come,  so  I  had  some  lunch 
with  Uncle,  and  as  I  was  going  home,  I  met  him.  He  asked  me 
something  about  going  to  lunch  with  him,  I  said  I  had  been  to  the 
bank  and  that  I  was  going  for  Dr.  Hayden.  So  I  didn't  know 
what  I  was  to  do.  1  didn't  go  to  lunch  with  him.  I  began  a  book 
called  "Foul  Play",  not  a  bad  one.  Fine. 

Tuesday  25.  Read  some  of  my  book  in  the  morning,  in  the 
afternoon,  I  walked  to  the  bath  house  and  had  a  sulpher  bath,  and 
as  I  was  coming  home,  a  man  on  horseback  caught  me  up,  and 
we  began  to  talk.  Then  he  offered  to  take  me  up  behind  him  on 
his  horse.  I  got  up,  and  then  he  said  he  was  a  hunter  and  had  been 
40  years  in  America.  His  name  was  Pierce,  and  he  was  couzin  to 
"Pierce"  the  head  policeman,  in  London.  I  rode  about  %  of  a 
mile,  and  then  got  down.  I  shook  hands  with  him,  and  said  I 
should  perhaps  meet  him  up  the  "Yellowstone"  for  he  said  he 
w^as  going  there.  In  the  evening  we  went  up  the  "Ensign  Point" 
which  is  about  6500  feet  above  the  sea.  I  should  think  it  was 
auful  hard  work,  and  when  we  came  down,  our  driver  told  us 
there  were  "bars"  and  rattle-snakes  up  there.   Mrs.  Hayden  was 


[June  26-30,  1872]        L>1ARY  OF  HIDFORD  HAMP  267 

with  US,  she  is  most  aufully  timid  (or  pretends  to  be)  and  if  she 
had  known  she  would  never  have  <>'one  np,  I  "m  sure.  A  man  was 
shot  today. 

Wednesday  26.  (7  weeks  Ifrom  home].;  Today  we  all  went 
for  an  excursion  on  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  We  first  went  by 
train  and  then  were  transferred  by  Wagons  to  the  boat.  Then  we 
sailed  for  about  3  hours,  and  had  dinner.  In  1  hour  more  we 
landed,  but  only  for  34  of  an  hour.  Uncle  bathed  but  T  didn't 
think  there  would  be  time.  The  lake  is  most  beautifnlly  clear. 
•You  can  see  the  bottom  when  it  is  20  feet  deep.  We  got  back 
at  8  oc.  and  went  to  bed.  When  we  got  home  Dr.  Hayden 
borrowed  my  hat,  because  be  was  afraid  his  wife  would  suspect 
him  of  something,  or  anything,  so  he  is  pretty  much  under  her 
thumb.    Fine. 

Preparations  for  the  Expedition 

Thursday  27.  I  finished  my  book  and  packed  my  clothes, 
and  went  to  bed  at  9  oc.  in  order  to  get  up  early.  Pine. 

Friday  28.  AVe  got  up  at  8/30  and  Uncle,  Dr.  Hayden,  and 
r  went  to  Ogden.  We  went  up  the  Ogden  Canon,  which  is  very 
fine,  and  saw  the  hot  springs,  they  are  so  hot  you  can't  keep 
your  hand  in.  In  the  evening  Dr.  H[ayden].  and  I  went  to  Cor- 
rine,  and  stayed  the  night.   Hot. 

Saturday  29.  We  two  started  at  6  oc  this  morning  by  the 
stage  coach  for  the  camp.  It  was  most  aufully  dusty  in  10 
minutes,  we,  and  all  our  packs.  &  the  mails  were  covered,  the 
black  things  were  grey,  the  grey  white,  &  the  white,  whiter.  AVe 
had  breakfast  at  8  oc.  and  dinner  at  2  oc.  both  very  good  meals, 
better  than  any  of  those  we  got  in  Salt  Lake,  or  Denver.  At  8  oc. 
we  got  to  the  camp.  I  was  introduced  to  Capt.  Stevenson, ^-^ 
and  slept  in  his  bed,  because  he  went  on  with  Dr.  Hayden. 

Sunday  30.  I  woke  at  about  6  30  and  had  breakfast  in  the 
tent  r  slept  in.  It  rained  hard,  but  when  it  ceased  a  little  I  went 
out  with  some  one  to  try  and  shoot  something.  He  shot  a  duck, 
but  couldn't  find  it,  afterwards  another  man  shot  two  "sort  of" 
gulls.  They  were  very  pretty  and  had  swallow  tails.  ]\Iy  feet 
are  very  Avhet  whilst  I  am  writing  this,  ((^n  Friday,  whilst  at 
Ogden,  the  Inn  Keeper,  said  he  came  from  Bedford,  30  years 
ago,  and  went  to  school  when  the  boys  used  to  were  [wear] 
gowns  and  stockings,  and  no  hats.  He  renuMubered  Mr.  Le 
Mesurier;  and  he  said  there  was  a  new  church  being  built 
when  he  left,  which  must  have  been  "Trinity."  His  name  is 
Covington,  and  1  should  think  he  must  be  some  relation  to  Cov- 


15.  Captain  .lames  Stevenson,  nianajjinji;  director  and  head  of  the 
second,  or  Snake  River  division,  of  the  1S72  Yellowstone  expedition  of 
the  TTnited  States  (.n'olojjit'Jil  Suivev  under   Or.  llavden. 


268  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [.July  1-2,  1872] 

ing'ton  the  bird  stuffer)  We  have  only  2  meals  a  day,  but  I 
find  it  quite  enough.  I  share  the  tent  of  Capt.  Stevenson,  Prof. 
Bradley,  &  Mr.  Adams,  a  newspaper  correspondent.^^  We  all 
went  to  bed  before  sunset.  Miserable. 

Monday  July  1st  1872.  I  started  today,  as  it  began  to  clear 
up  a  bit,  on  the 

Hayden  Surveying  Expedition,  under  Captain 

Stevenson. 

To  the  Source  of  the  Snake  River, 

And  the  Lake  of  the  Yellowstone, 

where  no  white  man,  but  solitary  hunters  have  ever  been  before^ 
and  which  is  a  very  fine  thing  to  be  able  to  do,  for  Capt.  Stev- 
enson says  he  has  received  500  applications  for  the  place  from 
young  men  of  the  best  American  families,  General  Grant's 
nephew  for  one.  Capt.  Stevenson,  lent  me  his  own  grey  horse, 
about  the  prettiest  in  the  camp,  and  a  very  easy  goer.  We  struck 
our  tent  at  about  11/30,  and  started  about  12.,  we  came  to  a 
toll  gate  at  about  4  oc.  where  we  paid  $30  for  the  whole  com- 
pany, (but  4)  ;  I  and  2  more  had  some  lunch  and  when  we  had 
finished  it  began  to  rain  like  mad.  We  waited  till  it  stop[p]ed,, 
and  then  went  on  again.  We  got  a  little  whet  after  that,  but  not 
much.  My  horse  shied  once  but  I  stuck  on.  I  enjoyed  galloping 
up  and  down  the  hills.  The  horses,  or  rather  ponies,  are  very 
shure  footed,  and  walk  among  the  sage  brush,  eating  the  grass. 
They  see  anything  before  I  do,  and  they  never  trot,  but  lope. 
Our  road  lay  along  the  Canon  of  the  Porte  Neuf.^"  We  camped 
about  6  oc.  and  T  found  myself  a  little  tender,  though  not  sore. 
We  had  dinner  after  pitching  the  tent  in  the  rain,  our  journey 
was  12  miles.  Yesterday  a  lot  of  snow  fell  on  some  of  the  moun- 
tains.   Miserahle.^^ 

Tuesday  2nd.  We  started  at  about  12  oc.  today,  the  journey 
was  most  beautiful,  every  time  we  rounded  a  hill  a  fresh  view 
came  in  sight,  the  val[l]ey  was  full  of  old  lava  beds,  and  there 
was  a  river  run[n]ing  down  the  middle.  We  travelled  20  miles, 
and  I  was  rather  tender,  &  A'ery  sleepy,  but  I  went  bug  hunting 
with  Mr.  Adams,  and  caught  a  scorpion,  (every  insect  is  a  bug, 
here).  Our  camp  was  on  the  Pocotello  creek,  (a  stream  is  a  small 
stream),  and  as  the  grass  was  scanty  and  poor,  the  horses  stam- 


16.  Professor  Frank  H.  Bradley,  Chief  Geologist  of  the  expedition;^ 
Robert  Adams,  newspaper  correspondent  and  "general  assistant''  on 
the  expedition. 

17.  In  western  Idaho. 

18.  For  maps  and  other  information  concerning  the  route  of  the  ex- 
pedition, and  which  space  does  not  permit  reproducing  here,  see  the  report 
of  F.  V.  Hayden,  Sixth  Annual  Eeport  of  the  United  States  Geological  Sur- 
vey of  the  Territories  .  .  .  for  the  Year  1872,  Washington:  1873.  (Cited 
hereafter  as  Beport.) 


[July  3-5,  1872]  DIAEY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  269 

peded  in  the  night,  but  in  spite  of  the  darkness  and  rain  they 
were  all  recovered.     Fine.    Night  whet. 

Wednesday  3  (8  weeks  [from  home].)  We  got  up  at  5  oe. 
and  started  at  6/15  for  F'ort  HalL^'J  We  stopLp]ed  at  Koss  Fork 
and  had  some  buiscuits,  and  saw  5  Indians.  They  were  small, 
but  better  looking  than  the  Sioux.  The  squaws  there  were  quite 
nice  looking.  We  saw  a  mountain  110  miles  off,  and  it  looked  as 
plain  as  you  would  see  a  thing  in  England  at  20  miles.  We  got 
to  the  top  of  what  they  call  the  divide,  (which  is  a  mountain 
seperating  two  val[l]eys  and  there  we  saw  some  mountains  180 
or  170  miles  off'.  They  looked  like  tiney  heaps  of  snow,  but  they 
were  perfectly  clear  and  sharp.  I  expect  they  will  change  rather 
when  we  get  to  them,  for  I  believe  Ave  are  going  there.  We  arrived 
at  Fort  Hall  at  about  4  oc,  which  made  it  10  hours  in  the  saddle 
and  a  distance  of  261/2  miles.  It  seems  rather  slow  work  but  we 
have  to  stay  with  the  Waggons,  which  can  not  go  much  faster 
than  3  miles  an  hour,  and  generally  about  2.  I  was  a  little  sore, 
but  not  much.  1"  had  the  whole  tent  to  myself,  and  slept  like  2 
tops.     Fine.     Hot.    Musketoes. 

Thursday  4th  Glorious.  This  day  is  what  the  Americans 
call  * '  The  Glorious  Fourth ' '  dash  'em !  because  they  got  their 
liberty  on  that  day,  a  short  time  ago,  ( I  don 't  know  when ) .  How 
jolly  it  must  be  for  the  Americans  to  have  no  history  to  learn.  I 
suppose  that  is  why  they  push  ahead  so,  because  they  want  a  little. 
When  I  woke  up,  I  found  something  warm  at  my  feet,  and  saw 
a — (not  a  grizzle  bear — )  but  a  cat.  I  had  breakfast  at  the  fort, 
and  I  am  going  to  feed  there  altogether  for  $1.25  a  day  (5  shill- 
ings), they  are  much  better  meals  than  we  get  in  camp,  and  I  am 
beginning  to  break  out  on  the  lips  already.  They  had  horse,  & 
foot  races,  and  climbing  a  greasy  pole  to  celebrate  the  fourth 
and  a  game  of  base  ball,  which  is  very  much  like  rounders,  in  the 
eA^ening.  AVe  had  a  jolly  good  dinner,  &  a  great  big  English 
plum  pudding.     I  slept  beautifully,  for  I  Avas  tired.     Beautiful. 

F'riday  5.  We  Avere  not  alloAv|e]d  to  continue  our  meals  at 
the  post  beyond  today,  because  some  of  them  kicked  up  a  bobery, 
and  got  drunk,  though  I  knew  nothing  about  it.  I  was  photo- 
graphed in  a  tent  today,  just  to  try  something  in  the  photograph- 
ing machinery.  Mr.  Jackson,  is  the  best  photographer  1  knoAV.-^ 
We  had  a  thunder  storm  in  the  afternoon,  otherAvise  the  Aveather 
Avas  A'erA^  hot  and  Fine. 


19.  Fort  Hall,  in  Idaho,  was  an  iinportaut  military  post  and  Indian 
agency. 

20.  William  Henry  Jai'kson,  pionoor  wostern  jihotoi^'raplu'r.  Jaeksmi  ilied 
several  months  ago  at  the  aye  of  1H>.  Hamp's  confidenee  in  .larkson  was 
not  misplaced ;   many  of  his  photographs  taken  sixty  years  ago  are  nnsur- 

both  from  the  scenic  as  well  as  the  technical  viewpoint. 


270  ANNALS  or  WYOMING  [July  6-9,  1872] 

Saturday  6.  I  walked,  with  Mariam  [Merriam],'-^  4  miles 
to  try  and  shoot  some  birds,  but  didn't.  At  1  oc  Mr.  Jackson 
made  two  pictures  of  the  camp  and  men,  horses,  and  a  few  dogs. 
They  were  both  very  good.  I  was  in  the  left  hand  corner  of  the 
photograph.  Another  thunderstorm.  I  posted  a  letter  to  ]\Iama, 
and  Aunt.  (Last  night  my  blankets  were  full  of  electricity, 
which  shooc  [shook],  and  crackled  a  little.  It  rather  astonished 
me  at  first,  as  I  could  not  account  for  it,  but  I  remembered  after- 
wards that  I  had  heard  of  Electricit}"  in  blankets.)  Cam  gave 
me  a  shirt,  with  collar  attached,  but  it  is  too  big.  Hot,  Muskeetos, 
Fine,  Thunder.    Rain. 

Sunday  7.  One  of  the  men  named  Mike,  a  barber  by  profes- 
sion, cut  my  hair  toda,y ;  the  first  time  since  I  left  home  8  weeks 
&  4  days,  it  was  so  long  that  I  could  pull  it  down  to  the  end  of 
my  nose.  Two  or  three  fellows  wanted  to  practise  shooting,  and 
Beveridge  offered  his  hat  as  a  target,^-  they  shot  it  3  times,  out 
of  20  shots,  at  115  yards.  I  made  a  sketch  of  the  camp,  but  I 
have  forgotten  how  to  paint,  I  believe.  I  have  painted  it  since 
r  wrote  the  above,  but  very  badly.  Sunday  is  not  much  of  a  Sun- 
day, as  there  is  no  church  within  120  miles.  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Hal- 
stead  today,  and  gave  him  a  regular  account  of  my  proceedings 
from  May  8th  till  now,  it  made  a  tremendous  long  letter.  I  have 
a  little  bottle  of  alkohol  in  which  I  put  bugs  if  I  catch  any.  (I've 
got  3)  I  catch  'em  Avith  a  pair  of  tweezers,  as  I  am  afraid  of  all 
of  them,  for  I  don't  know  wdiat  will  hurt,  and  what  don't.  Know- 
ing that  ' '  variety  is  charming, ' '  I  have  written  these  two  pages 
in  diversified  colours.     Fine. 

Monday  8.  (Two  months  from  home).  I  had  a  bathe  today 
in  Avater  4  ft.  deep,  3  ft  long,  2  ft  broad,  and  two  more  fellows 
bathed  at  the  same  time.  I  w^ashecl  my  towel  afterwards,  in  the 
stream,  and  dried  it  on  a  bush.  Mr.  Langford  says  he  should  not 
l)e  surprized  if  some  of  us  get  our  hair  raised, ^^  and  one  of  the 
men  says  we  are  sure  to  lose  some  of  our  party.  Pleasant !  Hardly 
any  of  us  have  rifles,  and  if  we  don 't  get  some  from  the  govern- 
ment, we  stand  a  good  chance  of  being  chawed  up  by  Indians. 
I  kept  guard  last  night  from  12  to  2.  It  was  [very]  jolly,  the 
stars  shone,  and  so  did  the  northern  lights,  and  after  m,y  guard, 
T  pulled  my  bed  out  of  doors  and  slept  under  the  open  sky,  for 
the  first  time  in  my  life,  though  T  expect  it  won't  be  the  last.  Fine. 

Tuesday  9th.  I  spent  the  day  in  doing  nothing,  except  hav- 
ing my  two  meals.    P^veryone  else  did  ditto.    Fine. 


21.  C.  Hart  Meriiam,  noted  ornithologist  of  the  Hayden  expedition. 

22.  P.  .T.  Beveridge,  ''general  assistant." 

2.3.  N.  P.  Langford,  pioneer  explorer  of  the  Yellowstone,  a  guest  on 
the  1872  expedition,  and  first  superintendent  of  the  Yellowstone  National 
Park  (1872). 


[July  in  U.  187li]         DTARY  OF  RIDKORT)  TTAMP  271 

Wednesday  IOtii.  (9  weeks  |  f rom  liomej.)  Ditto,  except 
that  I  slept  out  toni<>'lit.  Fine.  (You  have  no  idea  what  it  is  to 
want  books,  until  you  stay  a  week,  without  anything  to  do  or 
read.     Golly!) 

Thursday  11.  in  the  niornin<>\  havin^i'  discovered  a  library 
at  the  post,  I  went  down  there  and  read  i\lyrriat's  "Pirate", 
and  in  the  afternoon,  I  went  down  again  and  read  some  of 
Myrriat's  "Pucha  of  Many  Tales"  [?].  I  slept  out  again,  and 
kept  guard  from  12  to  2.    Fine.    Lightening  at  night. 

Expedition  Starts  for  the  Yellowstone  Region 

Friday  12.  We  got  up  at  4  oc.  before  sun-up,  and  packed 
our  beds,  clothes,  and  mules,  saddled  our  horses,  and  started  at 
9/30  oc.  for  the  region  of  bears,  Indians,  and  worst  of  all  the 
region  of  Mnsquitoes.  I  am  much  more  afraid  of  musquitoes, 
than  of  Indians,  or  snakes,  or  anything  else,  and  so  is  everyone 
else.  I  look  as  if  I  had  had  the  measels,  for  I  am  bitten  all  over, 
and  true  to  my  nature  I  have  mad[e]  sore  places  of  half  the  bites. 
How  astonished  any  Bedfordite  would  be  to  see  me,  riding  a  grey 
horse,  with  two  coats  rolled  up  in  a  "gunny-sack"  (which  is  a 
sort  of  sack,  made  very  coarse)  tied  behind  me,  without  a  coat, 
with  a  pistol  on  one  side,  and  a  great  knife  on  the  other,  chaeeiug 
[ichasing]  mules,  with  great  packs  on  their  backs,  to  make  them 
keep  together,  or  to  see  me  writing  this  in  a  tent  on  the  bank  of 
a  stream,  in  the  midst  of  the  Rocky  ]\Its.  with  out  a  coat,  my  book 
on  my  knee,  my  ink  on  a  sack  of  clothes,  a  dog  close  to  me  asleep, 
the  thermometer  at  95'  in  the  tent,  and  myself  sitting  on  a  keg  of 
whiskey.  Gum !  Four  months  ago  I  was  at  school,  and  now  I  "m 
here  [undecipherable].  I' had  a  bathe  today,  but  the  stream  was 
so  swift,  that  the  bathing  was  very  poor.  We  caught  about  200 
crawfish,  some  by  a  fire,  which  we  lighted  on  the  bank,  and  ate 
them,  when  they  were  about  half  done.  Fine.  Thunder.  Join-- 
ney  6  miles. 

Saturday  13.  We  started  today  at  about  10  oc.  I  learnt 
to  read  the  odometer,  and  went  with  j\Ir.  Beckler,  to  measure  the 
distances,  and  note  them  down.--"  We  traveled  12  miles  over  a 
sandy  plain,  under  a  very  hot  siui,  and  having  no  water.  I  never 
knew  what  it  was  to  be  thirsty  till  today.  You  may  know  how 
bad  it  was  by  the  fact  of  one  of  our  grey-hounds  dying  from 
thirst,  on  the  side  of  the  road.  Everyone  draidc  lots  of  water,  and 
some  of  the  dogs,  and  men,  were  sick  after  it.  1  drank  a  great 
deal,  and  bathed  afterwards  but  felt  no  worse  from  it.  We  had 
a  fine  thunderstorm,  with  rain. 

Sunday  14.  (Crossed  the  Snake).  1'  followed  the  Odometer, 
and  Goodfellow  put  it  wrong  once,  so   1   had  a   good    Ideal]    i>f 

24.     Gustiivus  IR.  Beckler,  eliii'f  to|uioi;iiilier. 


272  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [July  15-18,  1872] 

calculating  to  do,  but  I  got  through  all  right.--^  I  got  a  shot  at 
two  birds,  with  my  pistol,  but  missed.  We  camped  on  Snake 
River,  which  is  very  swift  and  deep,  and  if  anyone  gets  into  it 
he  is  sure  to  be  killed.  The  night  was  very  cold,  and  we  had  big 
fires,  which  were  very  jolly.    Fine.    Journey  14  miles. 

Monday  15.  We  did  not  follow  the  road,  but  went  through 
the  marshes,  where  the  mosquitoes  were  terrible,  and  stuck  all 
over  us  and  our  horses.  We  had  a  wretched  camp  on  Market 
Lake,  where  the  musquitoes  are  usually  2,000,000  to  the  square 
inch  (they  say)  but  fortuneately  the  night  was  cold  and  they 
didn't  come  out.  (Journey  4  miles.)  I  am  (that  is  I  call  myself) 
the  "First  Assistant  Topographical  Engineer,  of  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey  of  the  Territories,  under  Professor 
Hayden",  which  sounds  very  fine.  GoodfelloAv  is  the  "Second 
Ditto." 

Tuesday  16.  We  followed  the  Snake  to  the  extinct  crater, 
which  will,  perhaps,  be  someday,  well  known,  though  no  one  knew 
of  it  before,  and  I  was  the  first  to  get  up  to  the  top.  We  had  a  very 
good  camp,  and  caught  some  trout,  and  found  some  mushrooms, 
which  were  a  nice  change.  There  was  an  auful  joke  played  on 
two  of  the  boys  today,  it  was  a  very  old  joke  called  Snipe  driving. 
They  were  told  "that  if  they  went  out  into  the  marsh,  and  held 
a  sack  open,  with  a  lighted  candle  in  front,  whilst  the  others  drove 
the  snipes  toward  them,  they  would  jump  into  the  sack  and  stay 
there " ;  so  these  two  fellows  went  out  and  sat  in  the  marsh,  in 
the  manner  I  have  showu,  surrounded  by  musquitoes,  while  the 
others  all  ran  back  to  camp  and  left  them.  Then  one  of  the 
"packers"  went  near  them  and  yelled  like  an  Indian,  and  fired 
his  pistol  three  times.  We  didn't  know  if  they  were  frightened, 
or  of  course  they  wouldn't  acknowledge  it,  if  the[y]  were,  any- 
how they  [came  to]  camp  directly  afterwards,  and  got  most 
aufully  laughed  at.    Fine.    Journey  12  3/5  miles. 

Wednesday  17.  (10  weeks  [from  home].)  We  forded  the 
Snake  River  today,  where  it  is  about  ^4  of  a  mile  wide,  and  very 
swift.  I  went  fishing  and  caught  one  trout,  and  got  my  feet  wet 
through.  I  didn't  change,  and  I  had  to  get  up  at  12  oc  that 
night  to  stand  guard,  and  had  to  put  on  my  wet  stockings  and 
boots,  but  I  was  none  the  worse  for  it.  I't  was  very  cold  standing 
g'uard  so  we  (I  and  another  man  named  Smith)  lighted  a  fire 
and  kept  ourselves  jolly  warm.    10  [  ?]  miles. 

Thursday  18.  I  went  today,  with  the  hunter,  to  try  for 
some  meat.  We  went  as  far  as  the  Teton  river  but  got  nothing. 
I  was  very  sleepy  and  went  to  bed  at  9  oclock,  having  had  onlj^ 


25.  Goodf ellow  does  not  appear  in  Hayden 's  list  of  the  members  of 
the  expedition.  Before  his  death  William  Henry  Jackson  told  the  writer 
that  Goodfellow  was  one  of  the  helpers  hired  to  assist  the  expedition. 


[July  19-23,  1872]        DIARY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  273 

3  hours  sleep  out  of  24.  Fine.  The  wag'on  went  back  to  Fort 
Hall,  and  we  la.yover. 

Friday  19.  We  topojiraphers  followed  the  river  today  and 
so  went  about  twice  as  far  as  the  others.  One  of  the  man  killed  a 
hedgehog,  which  we  found  very  good  indeed,  as  a  change,  for 
"we  didn't  get  hedge-hog  every  day"  as  Prof.  Bradley  truly 
remarked,  whilst  picking  a  bone.  I  made  a  sketch  of  the  camp, 
and  painted  it.  (I  am  writing  this  with  3  little  half-breed  boys 
sitting  round  me,  and  watching  me  with  wondering  eyes,)  (their 
names  are  Richard,  Billy,  and  John  Lee,  which  I  have  written 
down,  much  to  their  own  delight.)  Our  journey  was  12  miles, 
from  the  Rapids  of  the  Snake,  to  the  middle  fork  of  the  Snake. 

Saturday  20.  We  three  followed  the  river  again  today,  and 
had  to  go  up  the  side  of  the  canon,  about  250  ft  high,  and  aufully 
steep.  I  made  a  sketch  of  the  ascent,  but  only  got  in  2  horses. 
We  traveled  12  hours  without  food,  and  when  we  got  to  camp, 
r  ate  a  tremendous  supper.  We  had  antelope  for  supper,  which 
was  splendid.  We  had  to  follow  the  trail  of  the  pack-mules,  for 
2  miles,  and  in  places  where  they  had  scattered  we  had  hard 
work  to  get  along.  There  was  lots  of  wood,  and  we  had  some  fine 
big  fires.  Fiiie.  Journey  15  miles  from  Middle  Fork  of  Snake 
to  Conent  Creek. 

Sunday  21.  When  I  woke  I  found  my  blankets  all  wet  with 
dew.  We  travelled  without  any  adventure,  except  that  ]Mr.  Beck- 
ler,  and  I  got  into  a  hole  crossing  the  river  Teton,  and  I  got  wet 
up  to  the  thigh,  but  we  got  across  all  right.  We  traveled  9^4 
miles  from  Conart  creek,  to  pom-pya-mena  creek  (as  the  half 
breed  boy  tells  me)  There  was  a  photograph  taken  of  camp  today. 
Fine. 

Monday  22.  We  topographers  followed  the  North  Fork  of 
the  Teton  to  its  junction  with  the  main  bi-anch,  which  is  in  a 
most  beautiful  canon,  the  river  turns  a  sharp  corner,  and  running 
into  a  projecting  rock  shoots  up  into  the  air,  to  the  h[e]ight  of 
40  feet.  We  had  to  go  down  one  side  of  a  canon,  covered  with 
rolling  stones,  and  up  the  other  covered  with  standing  and  fallen 
trees.  We  rolled  down  some  big  rocks,  which  made  a  tremendous 
crashing'  in  the  trees.  I  had  to  follow  the  trail  which  went 
through  a  wood  and  over  a  ditch  and  marsh  and  fallen  timber, 
but  we  found  the  camp  in  spite  of  all  obstacles,  and  a  very  good 
camp  it  was.  By  far  the  best  we  have  had  yet.  We  saw  lots  of 
antelope,  and  had  two  shots  at  a  badger  but  ditln't  kill  him.  The 
journey  was  22  miles  from  North  Fork  of  Teton  river  to  Second 
Cottonwood  creek.    Fine. 

Tuesday  23.  Mr.  Bechler  got  a  running  shot  ;it  u)mc  ante- 
lope, and  wounded  one  T  believe,  but  we  ilitl  not  get  it;  a  piece 
of  leather  got  into  the  odometer  today,  and  stoped  it.  so  we  had 
to  go  back  2  miles,  and  measin-e  it  again.     Mr.  Bechler  saw  .ui 


274  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [July  24-29,  1872] 

enormous  bear,  and  we  all  saw  a  fox,  but  both  too  far  off  to  get  a 
shot.  The  camp,  and  mountains  today,  formed  the  most  beautiful 
picture  I  have  ever  seen.  I  have  to  keep  guard  tonight  from  8  to 
12,  or  I  would  try  to  draw  it.  The  journey  was  about  14  miles, 
from  2nd  Cottonwood  Creek  to  Teton  river,  among  the  firet  moun- 
tains. We  are  going  to  lay  over  here  for  some  time.  Fine. 
Thunderstorm. 

Wednesday  24.  (11  weeks  [from  home] .)  I  went  out  shoot- 
ing with  the  Doctor  today,  but  didn't  get  a  shot,  although  we  saw 
lots  of  tracks. '^"^  At  one  time  we  were  setting  behind  some  big 
stones,  when  someone  shot  at  us.  (as  we  suppose,)  for  the  bullet 
came  precious  close,  and  sang  very  loud  as  it  went  by,  we  couldn  't 
find  out  who  it  was,  but  we  suppose  it  was  some  of  our  own  party, 
took  us  for  game  of  some  sort.  I  had  some  antelope  rib,  cooked 
on  a  stick,  and  eaten  literal  [l]y  from  hand  to  mouth.  In  the 
evening  2  of  the  party  came  in  with  some  bear  meat,  and  birds. 
The  night  was  very  cold,  but  I  slept  Avell.     Fine. 

Thursday  25.  Beaver  Dick  caught  a  beaver  this  morning 
and  shewed  us  how  to  skin  it.-'^  We  had  bear  meat,  trout  and 
birds  for  breakfast.  The  bear  was  very  good,  and  tender.  Noth- 
ing happened  in  camp  today  and  I  lay  about  camp  and  rested. 
Fine. 

Friday  26.  Today  the  hunter  killed  a  moose  cow,  and 
two  calves,  they  ^vere  very  good  eating,  especially  the 
calves.  The  remains  of  the  cow  were  cut  up,  and  jerked  this  is, 
dried  in  the  sun.  The  moose  had  a  tremendous  upper  lip,  and 
her  head  was  2  feet  and  a  half  long.  Adams  came  back  today, 
and  brought  Dr.  Curtis,  and  Tom  Tilton.  the  quonddam 
[quondam]  cook  of  "Fort  Hall."     Fine. 

Saturday  27.  I  was  idle  all  day  today,  in  expectation  of 
coming  events.    Fine. 

First  Ascent  of  the  Tetons 

Sunday  28.  Today  12  of  us,  and  two  cooks,  started  up  the 
canon  by  the  Tetons,  on  a  climbing  expedition  and  camped  about 
8  miles  up,  after  travelling  nearly  all  the  Avay,  through  a  burnt 
pine  forest,  and  very  fine  scenery.  Fine.  I  was  breaking  off 
a  fir  tree  on  a  bank,  when  it  broke  off,  and  I  fell  backwards  and 
scratched  the  back  of  my  right  hand,  and  made  a  mark  which 
perhaps  will  always  remain.  I  slept  with  the  Doctor  but  had  a 
very  bad  night,  because  I  drank  some  tea  just  before  bed. 

Monday  29.  Twelve  of  us  started  at' 5/30  AM  to  climb  the 
Tetons.     First  we  ascended  a  mountain   10000  feet   high,   and 


26.  Dr.  Josiah  Curtis,  surgeon  and  mieroscopist. 

27.  "Beaver  Dick"  was  the  pseudonyme  of  Eichard  Leigh,  hunter, 
trapper  and  ex]t]orer. 


[July  29,  1872]  DIARY  OF  HJDP'ORD  HAMP  275 

eame  to  snow  over  which  we  walked  about  3  miles,  till  we  came 
to  a  high  ridge  of  rocks,  over  which  we  got.  But  it  was  a  case 
of  hands  and  knees,  and  somewhat  dangerous  too,  then  we  de- 
scended on  the  other  side  and  in  getting  down  the  snow,  I 
slip[p]ed,  and  slid  on  my  sitter,  al)out  60  yards,  which  didn't 
hurt  me,  and  gave  me  a  good  start.  Then  we  walked  2  miles  over 
the  snow,  and  came  to  a  small,  frozen  lake,  and  saw  some  bear 
tracks,  then  we  climbed  another  ridge,  much  harder  than  the 
first,  where  if  you  missed  your  footing  you  would  either  break 
your  bones,  or  slide  doAvn  into  the  lake,  in  either  case,  very  un- 
pleasant. In  getting  down  the  snow  on  the  other  side,  I  missed 
my  footing  and  slid  down  about  150  yards  on  my  seat.-^  I 
should  think  I  went  as  fast  as  any  stone  ever  went  down  the 
"Hole"  at  Bishopstone  (don't  I  wish  I  was  there  now.)  After 
that  we  walked  li/^  mile,  over  the  snow,  till  we  came  to  the 
Teton.  Then  began  the  hard  work.  I  Avas  with  a  gentleman 
named  Langford,  and  his  nephew,  named  Charlie  Spencer,-^ 
who  was  only  a  month  older  than  me,  and  we  three  began  the 
ascent.  It  was  an  auful  hard  climb  and  very  dangerous.  AVe 
crossed  a  snow  slide  once  and  T  knew  that  if  I  slip[p]ed,  1'  should 
be  smashed,  so  I  was  very  carefull,  but  just  about  1  yard  from 
the  rocks  we  were  making  for,  I  did  slip,  but  I  turned  over  onto 
my  stomach,  and  stretched  open  my  legs,  and  turned  myself 
into  the  rocks.  After  that  we  had  to  climb  over  loose  rocks  to 
the  saddle  between  two  of  the  Tetons,  and  jolly  glad  we  Avere 
to  get  there,  but  the  wind  was  so  strong,  that  we  were  obliged 
to  get  behind  some  big  stones  to  eat  some  bread  and  bacon  that 
we  had  with  us.  There  we  met  ]\Ir.  Stevenson  (who  was  the  only 
one  besides  ourselves  and  Prof  Bradl|e]y  who  tried  the  Teton 
at  all)  and  went  on  higher  up,  but  we  came  to  a  place  whei'c 
the  snow  had  seperated  from  the  rock  about  2  feet,  and  one 
could  see  between  to  the  depth  of  40,  50,  or  sometimes  100  feet. 
so  as  we  were  very  tired,  and  the  ascent  got  so  dangei-ous.  Spencer 
and  I  stop|p]ed  on  a  ledge  and  rested  whilst  the  other  two  got 


28.  N.  P.  Liingford,  also  n  member  of  the  Teton  climbing;  party, 
graphically  reported  this  incident:  "At  one  or  two  jioints  when  nearing 
the  summit  we  would  have  been  oldiged  to  abandon  tlie  task  but  for  the 
aid  we  received  liy  casting  a  rope  over  prominent  projections  and  puUing 
ourselves  over  them,  t-i  phices  wliere  we  ccuild  obtain  secure  footliolds. 
In  one  of  tliese  efforts  Mr.  Stevenson  came  ne.-ir  losing  his  hold  and  falling 
down  a  precipice  nearly  a  thousand  feet.  Another  of  our  company 
[Hamp],  while  ascending  along  the  edge  of  a  glacier,  losing  his  hold,  .slid 
down  a  smooth  ridge  of  ice.  a  distance  of  40  feet,  with  fearful  rapidity. 
His  own  presence  of  mind,  in  liastily  throwing  himself  astride  the  edge 
of  the  glncier  and  descending  in  that  ])ositii>n  caused  him  to  fall  into  a 
snow-bed  at  the  Ivottinn.  and  on  the  extreme  edge  of  the  precii>ice.  This 
saved  him  from  falling;  at  least  SOO  feet.""     Ncport,  p.  SJI. 

29.  Charles  Sjiencer.  ne]duMV  of  Superintendent  X.  P.  Langford,  and 
also  a  guest  on  the  (>\iieditioii. 


276  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING     [July  30-Aug.  4, 1872] 

to  the  top,  then  we  began  the  descent,  and  Mr.  Stevenson  got  a 
long  way  ahead  (for  he  is  very  active,)  and  left  us  three  to  our- 
selves again.  Mr.  Langford  had  to  let  us  other  two  down  one 
place  by  a  rope,  and  in  another  place  we  had  to  cross  a  small 
stream  where  there  was  about  2  inc[h]  foothold  and  no  hand 
hold,  but  we  got  down  all  right,  and  then  had  to  walk  all  the 
way  back  that  we  had  come  in  the  morning.  By  the  time  we 
got  to  the  2nd  ridge  the  sun  set,  and  we  had  to  walk  up  a  ridge 
of  snow  about  6  inches  broad  and  500  feet  high  on  one  side,  but 
we  got  up  all  right,  and  got  to  the  last  hill  but  there  we  got  lost 
in  the  pine  wood,  and  wandered  about,  jumping  ditches,  and 
climbing  over  fallen  trees  in  the  dark,  for  about  2  hours.  At  last 
we  saw  the  camp  fire,  and  then  got  into  camp  at  10  oc  PM  having 
travelled  on  foot  for  17  hours.  I  was  to  tired  that  I  couldn't  eat 
anything  but  went  to  bed  directly.    Fine. 

Tuesday  30.  AVe  all  went  back  to  camp  today,  and  rested. 
I  had  a  book  to  read  called  ' '  For  her  sake ' ',  such  a  auf ul  stupid 
book.     Fine. 

Wednesday  31.  (12  weeks  [from  home].)  Fine.  Today 
we  topographers  went  on  a  side  trip,  to  another  branch  of  the 
Teton  river,  right  across  the  basin,  where  we  camped,  and  had 
to  cook  our  bacon  on  sticks,  we  made  a  big  fire  and  slept  well. 
We  saw  lots  of  Indian  sign,  and  game,  but  got  none.  The  journey 
was  13  miles. 

Thursday  1st  August.  We  went  back  to  camp  by  a  cir- 
cuitous route,  which  made  the  journey  18  miles,  we  saw  more 
Indian  sign,  and  I  got  my  legs  wet  in  crossing  the  river.  I  could 
not  sleep  for  toothache  in  my  two  front  teeth,  and  a  most  vicious 
stomach-ache.     F'ine. 

Party  Moves  Toward  Yellowstone  Park 

Friday  2nd.  The  whole  party  started  from  the  Teton  camp 
today  and  travelled  back  two  camps  to  the  creek  called  "Pam- 
pya-mena"  where  we  had  camped  before.  Fine.  The  journey 
was  18  miles. 

Saturday  3rd.  We  went  on  today  for  12  miles  and  camped 
on  Henry  river,  a  short  distance  above  the  old  camp  on  the  same. 
We  had  some  preserved  milk  today,  which  they  had  cached  at 
the  old  camp,  and  some  fresh  antelope  meat.     Fine.    Heavy  dew. 

Sunday.  4th.  We  traveled  13  miles  today  through  a  pine 
forest  to  another  part  of  Henry's  Fork.  It  was  dreadfully  hard 
traveling,  for  in  some  places  the  timber  had  fallen  down,  and 
covered  the  ground  with  a  network  of  logs,  and  in  some  places 
we  had  to  go  through  groves  of  young  trees  about  10  feet 
high,  and  having  large  trees  lying  amongst  them  in  all  direc- 
tions. We  were  very  late  into  camp,  and  that  night  it  froze, 
like  blazes,  and  I  found  mj^  bed  all  white  in  the  morning.  Fine. 


[Aug.  5-11,  1872]  DIARY  OF  8IDF0ED  HAMP  277 

Monday  5.  The  party  was  photographed  today,  goiiifr  up 
the  hill  I  was  at  the  top.  One  of  the  mules,  with  a  pack  on, 
fell,  head  over  heels,  doAvii  the  same  hill,  without  hurtin<j-  itself. 
We  travelled  14  miles  through  the  most  auful  timber  and 
didn't  get  into  camp  till  after  dark.  We  camped  on  some 
marsh,  where  the  water  was  very  bad.  P)eaver  Dick  shot  a 
ground  hog,  and  I  had  some  for  supper.     Fine. 

Tuesday  6.  We  had  to  go  back  4  miles  today,  to  survey 
what  we  had  no  time  for  yesterday.  They  camped  early  today, 
and  we  got  in  about  1  o'clock.  I  had  a  bath  and  changed  my 
clothes.    Journey  5  miles.     Fine. 

Wednesday  7.  (13  weeks  [from  home].)  We  travelled  17 
miles  today  to  another  part  of  Henry  river,  through  timber 
almost  impassible,  and  it  got  dark  while  we  were  8  miles  from 
camp.  The  mule  kept  the  trail,  and  after  crossing  the  river 
we  got  to  camp,  preciously  tired.     Fine. 

Thursday  8.  (3  months)  We  had  to  go  back  again  today 
5  miles,  we  saw  a  beaver  lodge,  and  no  end  of  trout  in  the 
river,  and  some  very  good  scenery.  We  got  back  to  camp 
about  3/30  PM,  and  then  had  to  travel  11  miles  to  the  other 
camp.  We  didn't  get  to  camp  till  after  dark.  ]\Ir.  P>e('hler 
shot  a  duck,  and  a  fox  today.     Fine. 

P'riday  9th.  We  topographers  travelled  round  the  lake, 
called  Sawtel's  [iSawtelle]  Lake,  Avhile  the  party  lay  over.'^*^ 
We  saw  some  splendid  scenery,  for  the  mountains  rise  straight 
out  of  the  prarie,  all  around  the  lake,  which  is  full  of  swans, 
and  has  some  pretty  islands  in  it.  We  got  to  Sawtel [lei's 
ranch,  and  found  no  one  at  home,  but  we  went  in  aiul  found 
some  bread,  butter,  molasses,  and  meat,  which  we  ate,  then  as 
we  were  going  away  we  met  Sawtel[le]  's  partner  and  told  him. 
He  said  we  were  very  welcome,  and  he  would  give  us  some- 
thing to  eat  whenever  we  liked  to  come  again.  AVe  got  into 
camp  after  sunset,  having  travelled  19  miles.  I  fired  my 
pistol  at  a  swan  several  times,  at  a  distance  of  300  yanls,  and 
went  within  a  foot.     Fine. 

Satltrday  10th.     Lay  over.     Fine. 

Sunday  11.  We  started  from  8awtel[le]'s  Lake,  and  cross 
the  greatest  "divide"  in  America,  and  most  likely  in  the 
world.  It  is  a  range  of  mountains  Avhich  seperates  the  waters 
of  the  Columbia,  and  Missouri  rivers,  the  first  of  which  runs 
about  3500  miles,  and  the  other  8000.  One  into  the  Pacific,  the 
other  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  first  water  I  saw  on  the 
Eastern  side  of  the  divide  made  me  tlnnk  of  home,  for  perhaps 
that  very  water  gets  into  the  Gulf  Stream  and  goes  by  Eng- 
land.    Soon  we  crossed  a   iiranch  of  the  ^Madison  River,  and 


30.     Siiwtelle's  Lake  is  also  kmnvn  as  Honry's  Lake. 


278  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Aug.  12-13,  1872] 

then  met  Taggart,^^  who  told  lis  to  go  up  the  river,  as  they 
were  going  to  camp  on  it.  So  we  did,  but  we  could  find  no 
camp  or  even  the  trail.  We  wandered  about  till  dark,  and  then 
camped,  without  a  scrap  of  food,  or  a  drop  of  Avater,  and  the 
grass  was  very  poor  for  the  horses ;  we  built  a  shed  with  young 
pine  trees,  and  made  a  big  fire,  for  warmth  as  we  had  only  our 
saddle  blankets ;  we  fired  our  pistols  a  few  times  in  hopes  that 
they  would  be  heard  in  camp,  and  Goodfellow  climbed  a  tree 
but  could  see  nothing,  so  we  went  to  bed  hungry  but  we  were 
not  cold,  for  the  night  was  cloudy  and  there  was  no  dew  or 
frost.  Fine.  18  miles. 

Monday  12th.  Mama's  Birthday.  1  haven't  got  any 
present,  but  the  memory  of  my  days  adventures.  Hungary. 
Hungary.  Hungary.  More  hungary.  No  meat.  No  drink.  No 
nothing.  Think  of  the  good  dinner  at  home.  Oh — Well  I 
We  woke  up  hungary,  and  set  off  immediately  towards  the 
river,  which  we  reached  after  a  five  miles  trot.  Mr.  Bechler 
shot  an  antelope,  but  he  was  so  anxious  for  some  breakfast  that 
he  missed  it,  and  the  antelope  didn't  seem  to  care  for  our  be 
hungary.  It  trotted  away,  Avhile  Mr.  B[echler].  was  loading 
again.  At  last  we  struck  the  trail,  and  Mr.  Stevenson  found 
us,  then  we  set  off  towards  camp,  rejoicing  in  anticipation  of 
breakfast.  About  2  miles  from  camp  we  met  Brigham  the 
stock  tender  who  had  about  half  a  pound  of  bread  which  we 
devoured  eagerly,  and  then  jog[g]ed  on,  and  got  to  camp,  and 
had  breakfast  at  12/30  PM  having  been  30  hours  without  food 
except  Brigham 's  bit  of  bread,  and  a  bit  that  I  had  in  my 
pocket,  and  ate  the  afternoon  before,  for  I  thought  we  were 
sure  to  reach  camp,  and  so  had  not  provided  against  emergen- 
cies. It  is  not  pleasant  to  have  no  food,  and  no  notion  when 
you'l[l]  get  it!  When  we  had  eaten  we  moved  on  about  5 
miles,  and  camped;  there  was  a  thunderstorm  in  the  afternoon 
and  evening,  so  I  slept  with  Mr.  Stevenson  in  the  tent.  The 
echoe  of  the  thunder  in  the  wood  was  very  fine,  for  you  could 
hear  it  rolling  away  for  miles,  till  it  passed  out  of  hearing. 
Fine  morning.  (15  miles). 

Yellowstone  Park 

Tuesday  13.  We  traveled  12  miles  today,  and  entered  the 
Madison  Canon,  which  is  splendid,  with  cliffs  rising  on  each 
side  to  the  h[e]ight  of  from  500  to  800  feet,  covered  half  way 
up  with  fir  trees,  and  the  bare  peaks  standing  up  above  them, 
whilst  the  river  runs  lower  in  the  val[l]ey  sometimes  broad 
with  grassy  banks,  and  sometimes  between  narrow  rocks, 
where  it  rushes  through  with  a  tremendous  roar.     West  shot 

.31.     W.  R.  Tjiggart,  Assistant  Geologist. 


[Aug.  14-17,  1872]         DIAHV  OF  SIJ)F()KD  IIAAFP  27!» 

an  antelope,  and  we  quite  expected  to  liave  to  camp  out  hut 
they  camped  before  we  expected,  so  we  f»:ot  into  camp  about 
sunset.  1  built  myself  a  bed  of  fir  trees,  and  it  was  fortunate 
I  did,  for  it  froze  that  ui^'ht.     Fine. 

Wednesday  14.  (14  weeks  [from  home|.j  We  travelled  ;") 
miles  throu<ih  timber  till  we  p'ot  out  of  the  ]\Iadison  canon, 
when  we  saw  the  first  hot  s])ring.  It  was  a  beautiful  yellow 
colour;  we  soon  came  upon  a  lot  more  boilin<i'  hot  springs,  and 
mud  springs.  When  we  got  into  camp,  we  saw  Dr.  Hayden  and 
Uncle,  who  told  me  of  Aunt's  death. ^"-  I  was  very  much  sur- 
prised, for  I  (juite  expected  to  meet  her  with  the  other  part\'. 
Fine. 

Thursday  15.  Our  party  joined  the  other  party  today, 
and  some  of  us  rode  10  miles  to  Upper  Geyser  basin.  We 
saw  lots  of  craters,  and  large  boiling  springs  of  all  the  most 
beautiful  colors  immaginable.  There  was  one  little  stream  of 
a  bright  yellow,  with  bright  scarlet  edges,  and  running  over 
a  bed  of  Avhite  silicious  incrustation.  We  saw  one  of  the  gey- 
sers called  "Old  Faithful"  spout  3  times  to  the  h[e]ight  of 
125  feet.  We  got  a  good  manj^  specimans  of  the  incrustations, 
which  Uncle  took  Avith  him.    Fine. 

Friday  16.  Today  the  whole  party  were  photographed  and 
afterwards  Uncle,  Mr.  Langford,  and  Mr.  Moran,  Avere  elected 
honerary  members  of  the  U.  S.  surveying  company.'"'^  There 
were  three  or  four  speeches  made,  which  I  can't  remember, 
r  washed  some  clothes  today  in  a  hot  sp)ring,  by  simply  boiling 
them  for  an  hour.  Spencer's  shirt  went  right  down,  and  H 
hours  afterwards  came  up  qu[i]te  clean,  a  proof  that  the  "Dev- 
il is  not  so  black  as  he's  painted."  We  got  some  clay  out  of 
one  of  the  mud  s]irings,  and  tried  to  cut  out  some  pipes  but 
when  it  got  dry  it  became  brittle  and  wouldn't  set,  so  1  cut 
two  pieces  scjuarish  for  specimens.     Fine. 

Saturday  17.  T^ncle  went  back  to  Ijozeman  tmlay.  with 
the  provision  train,  and  alxmt  half  the  party.  1  washeil  a  few 
more  clothes,  but  they  were  so  dirty  that  I  left  them  To  Ixiil  for 
3  davs.    Fine. 


812.  151:ickin(irc  inul  liis  wifo  liad  U'ft  :S:ilt  U:ikr  :iiul  travi'lod  iKirtli 
to  Helena.  On  the  tii])  from  Helena  to  Bozeinaii  hv  stageeoacli  Mrs. 
Blaekmore  lieeanu'  (luite  ill  and  fainted.  Tlie  following  day  she  seemed 
nuu'h  l)etter  and,  leaving  his  wife  to  reeuiierate  fnlly  at  the  home  of 
General  Wilson  in  Bozeman,  Blaekmore  continued  toward  th''  Yellowstone. 
Later  that  same  day,  July  IS,  a  messenger  eaught  up  with  the  party  and 
informed  Blaekmore  that" his  wife  had  suffered  a  relapse.  By  the  time  he 
reached  Bozeman  she  had  exiiired.     ^[ary  Blaekmore  was  tuiriod  in  Boze- 

';?;?.  This  is  the  well-known  •'Fire  Hole  F.asiu  "  i.hotograph  of  tlie 
entire  iiarty. 


280  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Aug.  18-20,  1872] 

Sunday  18.  Today  5  of  us  went  up  to  the  upper  basin  and 
camped.^'*  We  picketed  our  horses,  and  then  went  specimen 
hunting  till  dinnertime,  then  Spencer  and  I  went  to  bring  the 
horses  to  water  but  couldn't  find  them,  and  lost  ourselves.  We 
found  an  extinct  fire  crater,  and  in  about  y2  an  hour  we  found 
the  horses.  After  we  had  picketed  them  again,  the  Giantess 
Geyser  went  off,  and  all  the  men  and  boys  came  rushing  and 
shouting  out  of  camp  and  frightened  the  horses  so  that  3  of 
them  broke  loose  and  ran  off.  We  hunted  for  them  for  some 
time,  and  then  went  back  to  camp.  Afterwards  Dr.  Re[a]gles 
went  out  and  found  my  horse  and  Mr.  Langforcl  found  his  tw^o 
later  in  the  evening. ^^  The  Giantess  spouted  for  17  minutes, 
18-26  ft  in  demensions,  and  80  ft  high.  After  the  eruption,  the 
waters  receded,  leaving  a  cavity  a  hundred  feet  deep  to  the 
water  line.     Fine. 

Monday  19.  We  were  waked  this  morning  at  4  oc.  by  a 
tremendous  thumping  of  the  earth,  and  on  looking  round,  we 
saw  the  Giant  Geyser  in  eruption,  but  we  could  see  nothing 
but  the  steam,  which  filled  the  whole  valley,  and  rose  to  the 
h[e]ight  of  219  feet.  About  10  oc.  the  Castle  Geyser  went  off, 
and  threw  a  stream  98  feet  high,  for  80  minutes,  later  in  the 
day  the  Beehive  shot  about  200  feet  high,  and  the  force  was 
so  great  it  went  almost  straight,  in  spite  of  a  rather  high  Avind. 
Spencer  and  I  made  some  "slap-jacks,"  that  is  flour  and  wa- 
ter, with  a  little  salt,  and  lots  of  bacon  grease,  fried  in  a  pan 
like  pan  cakes,  and  eaten  with  broun  sugar.  As  we  had  no 
sugar  of  our  own,  we  were  obliged  to  steal  some  of  Mr.  Bech- 
ler's,  which  we  boiled  with  water  in  a  tin  cup,  and  made  the 
cup  exceeding  black.  We  enjoyed  the  stolen  sugar  Yery  much, 
except  that  it  nearly  made  us  sick,  so  w^e  threw  away  half.  By 
4  oc  we  started  back  for  the  Lower  Camp,  and  as  we  passed  the 
Grotto  Geyser  it  shot  off,  but  I  don't  know  how  high.  Fine. 

Tuesday  20.  (Fine)  Today  we  lay  about  camp,  and  Spencer 
and  I  made  a  "Poem"  on  the  adventures  of  one  of  the  formers 
flannell  shirts,  which  we  called, 

"THE   TAIL   OF  A   SHIET" 

There  was  a  youth,  C.  Spencer  Avas  his  name, 

Who  had  an  under  garment,  of  whose  fame 

And  wild  adventures  in  an  unknoAvn  channel 

I  now  am  writing.     First,   'tAvas  made  of  flannel ; 

This  self-same  under-garment  was  a  shirt. 

Its  color  yelloAv,  (AA'ith  a  shade  of  dirt), 

Upon  its  hinder  quarters  AA^as  a  patch. 


34.  This  party  was  led  by  Dr.  A.  C.  Peale,  mineralogist.    Eeport,  p.  99 
et.  seq, 

35.  Dr.  Reagles  was  a  guest  on  the  expedition. 


[Aug.  20,  1872]  DIARY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  281 

Which  with  the  color  of  the  rest  did  matcli. 

In  fact  this  shirt,  a  washinp,',  l)adly  needed, 

So  listen  how  the  laundry-work  proceeded. 

With  eager  steps  the  twain  does  hasten, 

To  reach  the  "Lower  Fire  Hole  ]^asin,'' 

And  as  the  Morning'  sun  arises, 

They  see  around  the  spouting  geysers 

And  view  with  awe  the  boiling  stream. 

And  hear  the  thundering  earthquake  shocks 

Resound  amid  the  trees  and  rocks, 

And  wonder  what  can  be  the  source 

Of  such  tremendous  hidden  force. 

And  some  say  thinking  they  can  tell 

"Undoubtedly  it  comes  from  Hell." 

Or  if  they  mention  it  to  ladies 

They  say  "they  think  it  comes  from  Hades." 

*  *  *  * 

When  day  has  dawned,  with  thoughts  intent, 

C.  Spencer  to  a  geyser  bent 
His  footsteps,  with  the  inward  hope 

Of  washing  out  his  shirt  witli  soap. 
And  when  the  article  Avas  lathered. 

His  shirt  into  a  ball  was  gathered. 
And  thrown  into  the  spring  to  boil. 

To  save  himself  from  needless  toil. 
Then  as  he  saw  the  dirt  was  leaving. 

Which  to  his  shirt  tails  had  been  cleaving 
He  heaved  a  sign  of  inward  peace. 

That  he'd  washed  out  those  signs  of  grease 
That  came  of  sinker-bread  and  bacon 

And  things  which  tend  to  stomach  achen. 
When  suddenly  to  his  surprise 

It  disappeared  before  his  eyes. 

*  *  *  * 

How  like  a  raving  maniac 

He  strives  to  get  his  garment  back. 

But  all  his  strenuous  efforts  fail 

To  grasp  its  fast  receeding  tail. 

With  open  mouth  his  friend  Hamp  gazes 

His  nostril  spreads,  his  hair  it  raises 

Like  porcupine,  or  hedgehog  bristles. 

His  fingers  spread,  his  eyes  stick  out. 

To  see  friend  Spencer  rush  alnuit. 

In  search  of  sticks,  and  crooked  poles. 

To  poke  aliout  in  lu^llisli  holes; 

Till  finding  labour  nnavailing. 

He  throws  them  down,  and  walks  off  wailing. 


282  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Aug.  20,  1872] 

The  sharer  of  his  hopes,  and  fears. 
Walks  close  behind,  and  adds  his  tears. 


Meanwhile  the  shirt  from  the  upper  world 

Beneath  the  crust  of  the  Earth  is  whirled. 
To  the  place  where  the  Geyser  waters  mix, 

With  the  turbulent  stream  of  the  river  stys; 

Where  waters  dash 

With  roar  and  crash 
O'er  blackened  stones. 
And  dead  men's  bones. 

Where  Cerberus  yells, 

Where  sulpher  smells. 
Where  vaults  resound 
With  horrid  sound, 

Where   crawling  things 

All  legs  and  Avings, 
Sport  in  the  mud. 
On  the  banks  of  the  flood. 

Whirled  bye  such  dirt 

Our   hero   shirt 
Passes  the  dangers 
Unscathed  and  unhurt. 


But  in  its  passage  to  upper  air 

Its  back  "dog  gone  if  receives  a  tear. 
And  its  tail  gets  into  a  deuce  of  a  curl 

As  it's  caught  by  the  stream  in  its  upward  whirl. 
With  a  twist  and  a  turn,  it  is  borne  to  the  top. 

And  out  of  the  basin  it  flies  with  a  pop, 
Then  it  descends  a  few  moments  later. 

And  hangs  by  one  arm  on  the  edge  of  the  crater. 

*  *  *  # 

Afflicted  Spencer  and  his  friend 
To  the  spot  their  footsteps  bend. 
Downcast  their  look,  with  heavy  heart, 
Hating  from  that  shirt  to  part, 
They  upon  the  crater  brink 
On  its  virtues  pause  and  think. 
Gazing  on  that  fatal  spot. 
Where  the  loud  shirt  is  not. 
Starting  up  in  glad  surprise 
Suddenly  it  meets  their  eyes, 
Spencer,  with  a  joyful  shout, 
Seizes  it,  and  pulls  it  out. 


[Aug.  20-23,  1872]        DIARY  OP^  SIDFORD  TIAMP  283 

Cheers  and  lau<>liter  ring  around 
For  the  long  lost  shirt  is  found. 
From  that  region  vile,  and  coaly 
It  returns  a  sight  more  wholy, 
Joyfully   'til  borne  to  camp. 
By  Spencer  and  his  partner  Ilamp. 

■'*  *  *  * 

Moral 
Friends,  if  youve  a  flannel  shirt. 

That  you'd  not  have  come  to  hurt, 
Read  this  moral,  and  be  wiser, 

"Don't  wash  clothing  in  a  geyser." 


Grand  Canyon  of  the  Yellowstone 

Wednesday  21.  (15  weeks  [from  home].)  Today  8  of  ns 
started  for  the  Yellowstone  Falls,  and  when  we  had  travelled 
6  miles,  we  met  two  men  from  Bozeman,  named  Fisher  and 
Slone,  who  camped  with  us.  Our  party  was  organized  into 
different  corps.  Dr.  Reagles,  and  Beveridge  cooks,  Spencer, 
Campbell,  and  Myself,  dish-wasliers,  Alex  Sibley,  herder,  and 
Mr.  Langford,  &  Jackson  Managers,  and  General  Su]ierinten- 
dents.     Fine. 

Thursday  22.  We  travelled  18  miles  today,  through  a  good 
deal  of  timber,  and  got  to  camp  about  3  oO,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Yellowstone.  There  was  nothing  particularly  fine  about 
that  part  of  the  river,  except  the  trout,  of  which  we  caught  four. 
Fine. 

Friday  23.  (10  nules)  Today  Mr.  Langford,  the  Dr.,  Spen- 
cer and  I,  went  to  see  the  mud  geyser,  which  is  a  geyser  no 
longer,  but  an  aufull  hole,  40  ft  deep,  with  steep  sides  of  cnnnb- 
ling,  dry,  clay,  and  a  boiling  mud  spring  at  tlie  bottom.  If  any- 
one fell  in,  he  would  never  come  out  again,  like  the  "flannel 
shirt."  Then  we  went  on  about  7  miles  to  the  sulpher  mountain, 
which  is  about  400  ft  high,  and  3  miles  round,  and  composed 
entirely,  I  believe,  of  pure  sulpher.  I  got  some  good  specimens  of 
the  sulpher,  and  then  fouiul  an  alum  spring,  which  tasted  au- 
fully  sour;  then  we  had  some  lunch,  and  Avhile  we  were  at  it. 
Prof.  Bradley's  party  came  up,  and  th^n  we  shook  hamls  all 
round,  and  rode  off.  After  about  11  miles  more  ride  we  got 
to  camp,  had  dinner,  and  went  to  see  the  falls.'"'  We  climbed 
onto  a  point  of  rock,  and  tiiere  saw  them.  I>y  Ciolly  !  It  was 
the    most    splendid,    georgeous,    magniticent,   indescribable  pic- 


36.     The  beautiful  30S  foot  "Lowi'v  Falls'"  of  the  Yoll'.nvstouo  River. 


284  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Aug.  24-26,  1872] 

ture  anyone,  mad  or  sane,  could  possibly  imagine.  No  one 
could  describe  it,  even  after  they  had  seen  it,  but  I  shall  try 
to  write  my  idea  of  it.  Where  we  stood,  we  could  see  straight 
down  1000  feet,  onto  the  river  running  at  the  bottom,  where 
it  looked  about  5  ft  broad,  though  Mr.  Langford  says  it  is 
200  ft.  On  the  other  side  the  rocks  rose  up  like  a  wall,  for 
1000  ft  or  more,  and  on  the  top  were  pine  trees,  which  looked 
like  short  grass.  At  the  upper  end  were  the  falls  350  ft  high 
and  the  spray  making  rain-bows  everywhere,  and  covering  the 
rocks  near,  with  green  moss ;  but  the  most  beautiful  part  of 
the  whole  was  the  colour  of  the  rocks.  They  were  a  bright 
yellow,  all  over,  with  great  pinnacles  of  red  stone  sticking  out 
in  different  places ;  we  crawled  to ,  the  edge,  and  put  our  eyes 
over  and  looked  down.  It  made  one's  stomach  ache  to  look 
down  1000  feet  without  a  break,  into  the  river  rushing  along, 
and  it  made  you  crawl  back  precious  carefully,  and  get  away 
3  or  4  yards  before  you  felt  safe.  The  description  gives  one 
no  idea  of  it,  but  it  is  the  best  I  can  give.  Mr.  Langford  fired 
five  shots  with  a  pistol  at  a  grouse,  but  for  some  unaccountable 
reason,  didn't  hit  it.  We  made  a  good  bed  and  slept  fine,  but 
the  skeeters  were  bad.    Fine. 

Saturday  24.  We  lay  over  today,  in  order  to  let  Mr. 
Jackson  do  some  photography,  and  we  four  went  to  see  the 
canon  and  upper  falls,  Avhich  are  splendid,  but  not  so  good 
as  the  great  falls,  but  the  two  beat  the  two  at  Niagara  all  to 
smash.  We  climbed  about  all  day,  and  about  3  oc.  Mr.  Lang- 
ford and  I  went  fishing  and  caught  5  which  were' all  good; 
we  had  heard  the  [that]  they  were  wormy,  but  we  found 
none,  and  I  didn't  trouble  to  look.     Fine. 

Sunday  25.  We  travelled  18  miles  over  very  mountainous 
country,  and  in  crossing  Mt.  Washburn,  we  Avere  above  the 
snow  line.  At  about  3  oc.  we  got  to  Tower  Falls,  and  camped. 
Mr.  Langford  caught  10  fish,  which  were  all  good,  and  4  of 
us  went  to  see  the  falls,  which  are  115  ft  high  and  surrounded 
by  pinnacles  of  rock,  from  which  it  has  its  name.  We  had 
some  pretty  rough  climbing,  but  it  was  good  fun.  I  made  a 
splendid  bed  of  bows  and  grass,  and  slept  finely.    Fine. 

Monday  26.  The  Dr.  and  I  went  fishing  and  caught  2 
each,  which  we  had  for  dinner,  and  at  three  oc.  we  packed  and 
started  for  a  5  mile  jog.  (Mr.  Langford  &  Spencer  went  on 
this  morning  early  to  get  some  specimens.)  At  about  5  oc  we 
camped,  at  a  place  where  Dr.  Hayden's  party  had  camped 
before,  which  we  knew,  by  a  empty  cider  case,  and  lots  of 
tin  pots.  (Our  feed  generally  is  bacon  and  bread  for  break- 
fast, and  for  supper  by  way  of  change,  bread  and  bacon,  with 
coffee  both  times,  sometimes  with  sugar,  sometimes  straight, 
that  is,  without  anything  extra  in  it,  and  I  can  tell  you  a  bit 


[Aug.  27-28,  1872]        DIABY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  285 

of   fresh   meat,   or   fish,   or   fruit    is   <;ood.)      Mr.    Lannrford   & 
Spencer  did  not  come  to  camp  that  niglit.     Fine. 

Mammoth  Hot  Springs 

Tuesday  27.  We  travelled  today  27  miles  over  mountainous 
country  to  the  "Mammoth  Hot  Springs"  on  "Guardiner's 
River,"  and  when  we  got  about  2  miles  from  there  we  saw 
a  haystack.  You  can't  imagine  what  a  curiousity  it  was.  We 
went  on  and  saw  a  mule  tied  to  a  bush,  and  soon  after  that, 
came  two  men,  more  curiosities.  Then  we  came  upon  a  man 
holding  in  his  arms  the  greatest  curiosity  of  all,  a  baby!  We 
Avent  on  a  bit  farther  and  saw  a  woman !  And  a  house !  which 
almost  knocked  us  down  with  curiosity.  AVe  got  over  it  however, 
and  went  on  200  yards  and  saw  two  more  houses,  by  this  time  we 
were  beginning  to  get  used  to  it,  when  we  came  in  sight  of 
the  springs  and  3  houses,  and  lots  of  men,  women  and  children. 
Wernen't  we  surprised,  and  astonished,  and  curiositized,  and 
pleased,  for  we  found  that  one  of  the  men  sold  butter,  or  fruits 
in  cans,  and  sugar,  which  were  quite  as  curious,  and  pleasant 
to  see  as  the  other  curiosities.  We  had  a  sjilendid  supper,  of 
bread  and  butter,  with  our  usual  trimmings,  and  then  Avent  to 
see  the  springs.  They  begin  at  the  top  of  a  hill  and  form 
basins,  all  the  way  down,  and  the  incrustations  swell,  and  make 
the  most  beautiful  little  cascades,  and  terraces  immaginable, 
for  they  are  all  sorts  of  colors,  and  so  is  the  water.  There  was 
a  log  house  being  built,  and  as  the  boards  for  the  floor  were 
lying  inside  the  Dr.  and  I  layed  them  down  and  made  our  bed 
on  them,  and  didn't  they  feel  nice  and  level.  We  found  Mr. 
Langford  &  Spencer  at  the  Springs  before  us,  for  they  had 
come  by  a  shorter  route.  (Memo.  The  story  of  the  rat,  the 
horse,  and  the  rope.)  There  was  an  Englishman  at  the  Springs, 
who  knew  something  of  Bedford,  and  had  a  relation  there 
named  John  Simms,  a  wheelwright.  I  saw  a  snake  today,  but 
didn't  kill  it.    Fine. 

Wednesday  28.  (16  weeks  [from  home].)  We  lay  over  to- 
day, and  had  bread  &  butter,  and  tomatoe  soup  for  breakfast, 
and  I  wrote  up  my  diary,  and  reckoned  the  number  of  miles 
1  had  ridden  since  I  joined  the  party,  and  found  it  was  aoB, 
and  the  greatest  wonder  is  that  I  was  never  sore.  We  had 
some  canned  fruit  for  dinner,  and  some  pies  for  supper.  The 
pies  were  about  as  big  as  breakfast  plates  and  cost  .l^l.OO  each. 
We  slept  in  the  same  house  again,  but  before  we  went  to  bed 
the  mail  came  in  from  Bozeman,  and  one  of  the  papers  had 
a  report  of  an  Indian  fight,  and  there  Avere  reports  that  every 


[Aug.  29-31,  1872]         DIAKY  OF  SIJ)>^OHi)  HAMP  287 

one  must  move  out  of  the  Upper  Yellowstone  Valley.'"  The 
effect  of  the  news  was,  that  everyone  i)ut  2  or  'A  more  car- 
tridges in  his  pocket,  but  next  evening  the  excitement  wore  off, 
and  the  cartridges  beginning  to  grow  heavy,  they  were  put 
away  again,  and  everyone  was  as  careless  as  before.     Fine. 

Thursday  29.  We  got  up  this  morning  at  about  4  oc.  aiul 
started  at  about  6  oe.  After  travelling  about  18  miles,  we  ;>toped 
at  1  oc  to  rest.  4  or  5  of  [us]  went  down  to  fish,  and  caught  14 
in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  which  we  cooked,  and  ate,  without 
bread  or  salt,  but  they  were  good  nevertheless.  At  3  oc  we  went 
on  again,  and  found  a  pretty  good  road  was  being  made  (for 
waggons.)  At  8/15  oc  we  got  to  Boteler's  Ranch,  having  ridden 
35  miles,  which  is  the  most  I  have  ridden  yet.  Didn't  we  have  a 
good  supper,  so  luxurious.  JMy  Golly.  Yet  all  the  luxury  was  milk 
and  butter,  but  not  having  had  any  for  a  so  long  made  a  tee-total 
big  difference.  Mrs.  Hayden  told  me  before  I  started,  that  I 
should  have  to  go  through  many  hardships,  and  one  was  that  I 
should  have  to  stand  up  to  a  table  to  eat.  I  had  to  do  it  tonight. 
But  I  don't  think  it  was  very  hard  work,  for  Gov.  Langford 
said,  "he  never  saw  me  look  more  happy,  than  when  1  was 
'standing  up  to  a  table  to  eat'."  We  had  a  most  luxurious 
bed  on  the  straw  pile,  and  didn't  we  sleep  well,  after  our  woi'k 
&  our  supper.  Fine. 

Friday  30.  Today  we  lay  over,  didn't  we  have  a  good  break- 
fast, of  milk  &  butter,  coffee,  sugar,  &  cream  besides  hot  bread, 
dried  apples,  and  fresh  meat,  all  the  luxuries  of  the  season. 
Alex  and  I  went  fishing  a[nd]  caught  18  in  about  1  hour, 
and  then  came  back  for  dinner.  Then  Ave  wandered  about  till 
suppertime,  and  then  talked  a  bit,  and  then  went  to  bed,  and 
to  sleep  "simultaneous".  (Sometimes  when  the  stars  shine,  I 
go  to  bed,  and  think  I  Avill  look  out  for  shooting  stars,  but  by 
the  time  I  find  the  North  Star,  I  get  sleepy,  and  turn  over  on 
my  side,  and  go  to  sleep  in  a  crack.)     Fine. 

Saturday  31.  We  rose  with  the  sun,  aiul  after  a  ]>arting 
breakfast  of  ham,  fish,  and  eggs  &c.  we  started.  We  rode 
without  adventure  till  about  3  oc.  18  miles,  and  camped.  We 
had  two  luxuries  for  supper,  namely  ham,  &  l)utter,  which  we 
carried  with  us  from  Boteler's.  (Boteler's  is  the  nuist  ranchy 
looking  ranch  I  have  seen,  and  he  has  a  jolly  farm,  ami  lots 
of  wood,  water,  grass,  &  cows).  Wetish. 


37.  On  AugiTst  14  Colonol  Ilaydeii,  United  St:itos  Army.  ;nid  a  party 
of  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  surveyors  in  the  Lower  VelUnvstone  country 
were  attaclced  by  "400  Arrapaho  Indians."  One  sohlier  was  killed,  and 
three  soldiers  and  one  civilian  were  wounded,  as  well  as  fourteen  beef 
steers  and  tive  head  of  "  U.  S.  stock"  stolen.  This  attack  was  reported 
in  the  newspapers  on  August  22nd,  and  evidently  had  filtered  through  to 
Mammoth  Hot  Springs  by  the  2Sth  when  Hamji  made  the  above  note  in 
his  iliarv.  Hclcitd-  11' cfklii' Herald,  August  22.   1S72.  2:4. 


288  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Sept.  1-4, 1872] 

Bozeman,  Montana 

Sunday  1st  September.  Lucky  partridges  at  home !  They 
get  one  more  day's  rest,  which  is  more  than  we  do.  I  found 
it  was  raining  when  I  woke,  of  which  I  was  made  aware  by 
shoving  my  feet  out  into  the  wet  grass,  and  hearing  the  Dr. 
swear,  for  the  water  ran  in,  between  the  blankets,  and  formed 
a  little  pool,  into  which  the  Dr.  rolled  &  damped  himself. 
Well,  we  had  to  get  up,  rain  or  no  rain.  It  was  a  job  to  light 
the  fire,  and  it  was  precious  unpleasant  eating,  because  you 
couldn't  sit  down  without  getting  a  patch  on  your  breeches. 
By  the  time  we  were  ready  to  start  it  quit  raining  so  we  did 
start.  The  mountains  looked  splendid  with  the  clouds  half 
way  down  them,  and  the  peaks  sticking  out  at  the  top.  We 
travelled  about  17  miles  and  got  to  Bozeman  at  1/30  oc.  and 
camped  on  the  East  Gallatin,  as  the  grass  was  poor  &  scanty, 
'we  put  the  horses  in  a  stable  for  50  cents  a  day.  After  diimer 
we  went  down  the  town  to  see  if  we  could  buy  any  grub,  but 
the  shops  were  shut  &  we  couldn't.  I  was  introduced  to 
Messrs  Wilsou  and  Rich,  who  seemed  nice  sort  of  gentlemen. 
In  the  evening  it  rained,  so  we  put  up  the  fly,  (which  is  a 
tent,  without  walls,  or  ends,)  which  kept  us  pretty  dry.  Wet. 
(The  first  wet  day.) 

Monday  2.  We  got  some  eatables  today,  and  I  bought  a 
felt  hat.  The  horses  were  all  shoed,  as  the  old  shoes  were 
warn  about  as  thin  as  paper,  (brown  paper.)  Three  of  the 
party  slept  at  the  Hotell  tonight  so  we  other  3  had  their 
blankets  and  our  own.  I  had  6  blankets,  a  buffalo  robe  a  coat 
and  macintosh  covering  over  me,  and  one  blanket  and  a  buffa- 
lo under  me ;  it  began  to  rain  again  in  the  night,  but  I  didn  't 
care  for  I  was  dry  in  bed,  and  I  knew  it  couldn't  wet  through 
so  many  blankets.     Finish. 

Tuesday  3.  Mr.  Jackson  got  a  letter  today  from  Dr.  Hay  den, 
who  wanted  me  to  go  to  him  somewhere  out  near  Virginia 
[City],  and  saying  that  he  would  be  at  Bozeman  between  the 
5th  &  8th.  Dr.  Re  [a]  gles  said  he  wanted  to  go  too,  but  couldn't 
go  that  day,  so  I  waited  for  him.  I  dined  with  the  Wilsons, 
&  Riches  and  had  a  good  dinner,  the  chief  luxury  of  which 
was  the  table,  the  cloth,  the  china  plates,  and  the  cleanliness. 
Mr.  Langford  &  Spencer  left  us  today,  so  I  was  bereft  of  my 
par[t]ner,  at  which  I  felt  sad,  but  jelly  for  dinner  cheered 
me  up  again.  (T  weighed  myself  yesterday  and  found  myself 
144  lbs,  which  is  11  lbs  heavier  than  I  was  in  Bedford.)  Fine. 

Wednesday  4.  (17  weeks  [from  home].)  Dr.  Re  [a]  gles  & 
I  started  to  meet  Dr.  Hayden  today.  We  went  about  8  miles, 
and  came  to  a  ranch.  As  it  was  20  miles  to  the  next  one  we 
stop [p] eel  there.  From  enquiries,  we  found  that  the  Dr  could 
come  by  three  different  roads  from  Virginia    [City],   each  8 


[Sept.  5-12,  1872]         DIARY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  289 

miles  from  the  other,  and  every  one  seemed  to  thiidv  we  were 
most  likely  to  catch  him  at  Bozeman  by  staying  there.  We 
put  our  horses  in  the  stable,  and  mine  wouldn't  p:o  in  for  a 
long-  time  because  he  didn't  know  what  it  was.  We  slept  in 
a  bed.  (the  first  time  since  the  29th  of  June,  2  months  and  6 
daj^s),  but  I  would  much  rather  have  slei)t  out  for  the  rooin 
was  auful  dirty.    Fine. 

Thursday  5.  When  we  got  up  it  was  raining,  and  kept  so 
till  11  oc  when  we  saddled  up,  and  went  back  to  I^>ozeman.  In 
crossing  a  bridge,  the  Dr. 's  horse  got  his  leg  through  and  the 
Dr  fell  off  into  the  dirt.  How  I  did  laugh !  I  slept  in  the 
Hotel  with  the  Dr.  Wet. 

Friday  6.  I  dined  with  Mr.  Wilson,  and  had  a  bath,  and 
got  some  clothes  washed,  and  borrowed  a  book,  and  saw  a 
Chinese  letter,  and  ate  some  sweets,  and  lay  on  rug  bed,  and 
idled.     Wet. 

Sati^rday  7.  Did  nothing  but  Idle  about  and  Dr.  Refajgles 
went  away  by  coach  for  Salt  Lake.  I  gave  him  ray  rug  for 
his  grey  blankets,  and  my  fish  bag  for  his  and  the  bags.  Moist. 

Sunday  8.  (4  months.)  /  uwnt  to  chu7-ch,  the  first  time 
since  the  9th  of  June,  when  I  went  to  the  Indian  church  at 
Niagara.  Mr.  Jackson  came  back  today,  and  Logan  came  in 
from  the  Dr's  party. ^'^  I  went  up  to  camp  to  see  the  others, 
and  got  caught  in  a  thunderstorm,  and  got  wet,  and  as  it  Avas 
7/30  I  went  to  bed.    Wet  evening. 

Monday  9.  I  started,  with  Logan  to  meet  Dr.  H.  at  Galatin 
City,  at  two  oc  P.M.  aixd  got  there  in  5  hours,  a  distance  of 
38  miles.  I  had  a  good  supper,  of  meat,  butter  and  honey. 
The  night  was  frosty  and  covered  my  blankets.     Fine. 

Tuesday  10.  We  rode  back  18  miles  towards  Bozeman,  and 
camped  on  the  West  Galattin.  There  is  a  mule  in  the  ])arty 
named  Jocko,  which  eats  out  of  the  frying  pan  and  puts  his 
head  over  anyone's  shoulder  to  get  a  bit  of  bread  out  of  his 
hand.  He  will  eat  bacon,  or  potatoes  or  anytliing  you  like  to 
give  him.    Fine. 

Wednesday  11.  (18  weeks  [from  home].)  We  got  into 
Bozeman  today,  and  camped  out  by  Fort  Ellis.  19  miles.  1 
made  a  jolly  bed  of  willows;  the  night  was  frosty,  aiul  covered 
my  blankets.  I  fancy  the  cold  weather  has  set  in  now,  for 
every  night  is  frosty.     Fine. 

Thi^rsday  12.  I  went  today  with  Bottler  the  hunter,  to  hunt, 
up  the  Galattin  Ganon.  We  had  tlinner  at  about  1  oc.  and 
camped  about  6  30  near  a  ranch,  having  travelled  14  miles:  T 
bought  some  milk,  butter,  and  oni(Uis.  and  we  had  a  rare  feast. 
Fine. 


38.     W.  B.  Logitii.  siHTotiiry  of   tlio  expodition  ami   in    Or.   HaydiMi's 
party. 


290  ANXALS  OF  WYOMING  [Sept.  13-17,  1872] 

Friday  13.  AA^e  had  to  bake  bread  this  morning,  and  as  we 
had  no  pans  we  made  it  in  the  flour  sack,  and  baked  it  in  our 
plates.  We  rode  about  12  miles  up  the  Canon,  and  the  moun- 
tains got  dowai  so  close  to  the  water  that  we  couldn't  go  on, 
so  we  climbed  up  the  mountain,  about  20C0  ft  perpendicular. 
It  took  all  the  wind  out  of  me,  and  made  me  aufully  thirsty, 
bat  unfortunately  we  didn't  expect  any  Avater  till  next  morn- 
ing, but  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  to  our  great  joy  we  found 
a  pool  of  water,  so  we  camped  there,  and  went  to  bed.  Fine. 

Saturday.  14.  AVe  went  down  the  other  side  of  the  mountain 
and  got  to  the  river,  Avhich  we  followed  till  about  12  oc  when 
we  dined.  Then  we  went  on  till  sunset,  and  got  into  open 
country,  and  as  we  were  looking  for  a  good  camping  ground. 
Bottler  saw  an  elk,  so  he  ran  along  the  edge  of  the  stream,  and 
shot  it.  Then  we  had  a  grand  skining  and  cutting  up,  and 
had  a  splendid  supper;  Bottler  shot  two  grouse  with  my  shot 
gun,  for  we  had  eaten  all  our  meat,  and  I  daren't  venture  a 
shot.  AVe  found  two  log  houses  in  the  woods,  in  the  first 
one  was  a  newspaper  dated  November  20,  1866,  and  in  the 
other,  one  dated  October  12,  1869.  So  they  must  have  been 
pretty  old  for  they  w^ere  both  empty,  except  for  old  coffee 
grounds,  Avhicli  we  found  in  the  second  one.  Fine.  The  horses 
ran  away  tonight,  as  they  did  on  Thursday  night,  but  w^e  got 
them  again  in  the  morning.     pJourney  20  miles. 

AVe  had  soup  for  breakfast,  made  of  meat,  dough,  onions 
and  potatoes,  and  roast  meat.  About  8  oc  w^e  packed  the  meat 
on  Bottlers  horse  and  the  other  things  on  mine,  and  went  back 
to  the  2nd.log  house  to  wait  for  the  party,  but  we  are  rather 
doubtful  if  they  will  come  at  all.  If  they  don't  we  shall  have 
to  go  back  over  the  mountains  and  through  the  woods  w^e  came 
through.  Our  horses  ran  away  tw^ice  today,  but  w^e  got  them 
again,  and  tied  them  up  jolly  tight.  AYe  made  our  bed  near 
the  horses,  for  fear  the  foxes  should  giiaw^  the  ropes  in  two. 
Fine.   (3  miles) 

Monday  16.  AVe  lay  over  all  day  expecting  the  party,  but 
they  didn't  come.  AVe  rode  about  7  miles  up  the  valley  and 
then  went  back.    Fine. 

Tuesday  17.  We  put  the  meat  on  Bottler's  horse,  and  the 
other  things  on  mine,  and  started  down  the  river  to  meet  the 
other  party.  AVe  had  to  ford  the  river  5  times.  Twice  I  rode 
on  the  meat,  and  3  times  on  my  own  horse.  Soon  after  we 
passed  the  other  ranche  we  saw  the  tracks  of  a  mule  and  a 
horse,  which  had  been  along  that  day,  so  we  guessed  they  had 
gone  ahead  of  the  party  to  look-out  the  road,  so  w^e  camped 
directly  to  wait  for  the  party.  AVe  set  up  our  tent  and  slept 
snug.     Fine.   (12  miles) 


[Sept.  18-25,  1872]        DIAHV  OF  sn)FOHr)  IFAMP  29] 

Wednesday  18.  (19  weeks  |  from  home].)  We  walked  down 
tlie  trail  al)out  l^/^  miles  and  found  '-^  newspapers,  wliicii  Ave 
carried  l)aek  and  devonred.  We  waited  all  day.  hut  u>  our 
astonishment  the  party  didn't  come,  so  we  went  to  bed  with 
the  intention  of  starting'  down  the  canon  next  mornin<r.  Fine. 

Thursday  19.  We  packed  up  and  started  down  the  river. 
When  we  ha;d  gone  about  a  mile  we  saw  fresh  tracks,  and  soon 
heard  chopping  and  then  saw  the  chopper  who  was  one  of  the 
other  party  clearing  the  way.  Jn  abont  two  minutes  the  rest 
came  up,  and  we  rode  on  our  way  rejoicing.  We  travelled  9 
miles,  crossed  the  river  5  more  times  and  camped,  and  sn])ped, 
and  went  to  bed.     Fine. 

P^riday  20.  When  I  woke  up  I  found  a  little  snow  on  my  bed. 
We  rode  about  6  miles  and  camped  at  the  mouth  of  the  2nd 
canon.  I  slept  in  a  tent  tonight,  as  the  nights  are  getting  cold. 
Fine. 

Saturday  21.  Some  of  the  party  went  up  the  canon  but  I  lay 
over  with  the  rest.  I  practised  with  my  pistol.  I  hit  a  bnsli 
about  as  big  as  a  plate  twice,  at  150  yards.  It  is  .jolly  in  the 
evenings  to  sit  round  the  fire  and  talk.  One  hears  alsorts  of 
wonderful  stories,  of  hunting,  and  mining,  and  some  of  the  men 
are  rather  witty,  and  make  one  laugh.  The  weather  looks 
snowy.  Fine. 

Sunday  22.  Snow  about  6  inches  deep,  snowing,  blowing, 
&c.  Altogether  rather  miserable.  We  had  breakfast  and  wash- 
ed in  the  snow,  but  about  12  M  it  cleared  up  and  let  us  get 
dry,  all  but  our  feet.  We  did  nothing  all  day  but  chop  Avood 
to  make  big  fires,  and  eat.     Snow. 

Monday  23.  Logan  and  Bottler  came  back  today,  and  1  got 
6  letters  from  home,  which  w^ere  Avelcome,  for  I  Avas  rather 
anxious  for  ncAvs.  They  mast  have  been  Avandering  about  a 
good  deal,  for  some  of  them  dated  about  the  20tli  June,  and  1 
ha\'e  receiA'ed  some  lettei's  Avritten  since  then  Avhen  1  Avas  at  tlie 
geyser  basin.  The  }iarty  came  back  that  liad  been  up  the  canon, 
and  I  began  a  letter  home.    SnoAvy. 

Ttesday  24.  I  started  Avitli  HottK^-  today  to  clioose  a 
camping  place  on  the  divide  betAveen  the  (Tallatin  and  YelloAv- 
stone,  for  the  party.  My  feet  Avere  aufnlly  cold,  and  Avet,  and 
we  had  to  camp  in  the  snow,  on  tlie  mountain  at  an  elevation 
of  9100  ft.  We  built  a  big  fire,  ami  scraped  the  snow  aAvay, 
and  set  up  our  AA'agon  sheet.  Then  1'  di-ied  my  feet,  had  supper, 
made  our  bed,  and  tried  to  sleep  but  the  wind  blew  in.  so  cold 
that  Ave  could  hardly  sleep  a  bit.  Wet.  ('2  miles) 

Wednesday  25.  (20  Aveeks  [from  home].)  Bottler  Avent  out 
to  hunt,  but  as  we  expected  [the  rest  of  the]  jnirty.  I  stayed 
in  camp.     1   AVciited.  nil   abnie  till   4  (h-   P.M.   wIumi    1   heard   a 


292  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING     [Sept.  26-Oet.  2, 1872] 

shout  and  saw  Holmes  the  artist, ^^  who  said  he  had  just  seen 
a  big  bear  so  I  got  my  rifle  and  of  we  set  to  hunt  it  up,  but 
when  we  had  gone  about  i/4  of  a  mile,  [we]  met  the  train,  and 
as  my  feet  were  cold,  and  I  didn't  suppose  we  should  find  any 
bear,  I  went  back  with  it,  but  Holmes  and  2  others  went  on, 
and  did  find  it,  and  killed  it,  so  [I]  was  sorry  I  didn't  go  on. 
The  view  from  this  camp  is  splendid.  We  could  see  all  the 
peaks  of  the  Madison  and  Gallatin  ranges,  and  when  the  sun 
rose  it  shone  beautifully  on  the  snowy  peaks,  while  the  rest 
were  all  in  dark  shadow.    Pine. 

Thursday  26.  Bottler,  Sloane,"*"  and  I  started  ahead,  and 
crossed  the  divide,  to  go  and  get  3  mountain  sheep,  which 
B[ottler].  killed.  The  view  on  the  Yellowstone  side  was  fine. 
There  was  no  snow  in  the  valley,  and  the  mountains  looked 
purple  with  white  tops,  and  the  quaking-asp  trees  were  all 
yellow.  We  got  the  sheep  and  then  followed  the  train  which 
had  got  ahead  of  us.  We  camped  about  4  PM  and  made  a  jolly 
bed  of  long  grass  6  feet  high.    Fine.    (18  miles) 

Friday  27.  We  got  to  Bottler's  ranch  today,  and  had 
some  milk  and  butter  which  were  splendid.  We  camped  about 
1/2  [mile  from  the]  ranch,  where  there  was  a  goodly  [number 
of  priek]ley  pears,  which  are  rather  [good  to  eat].  [I 
made]  a  tolerable  bed  of  boughs  [undecipherable].  Fine.  (10 
miles). 

Saturday  28.  We  lay  over  today,  and  all  the  work  I  did 
was  to  walk  up  to  Bottler's  and  get  some  milk  which  was 
pretty  easy,  and  very  agreeable,  although  it  was  harder  walk- 
ing back  again.    Fine. 

Sunday  29.  Today  was  ditto,  in  every  respect,  to  yester- 
day.    Fine. 

Monday  30.  We  went  on  again  today,  and  when  we  had 
got  out  of  civilized  regions  again,  immense  excitement  was 
caused  by  the  discovery  of  a  brass  trouser  button  bang  in  the 
road  and  still  greater  excitement  by  the  discovery  of  3  men 
and  a  horse  on  one  of  the  hills  looking  at  us,  which  were  pro- 
nounced Indians,  and  may  have  been  so  for  anything  we  knew. 
We  camped  near  Bill  Hamilton's  ranch,  and  and  got  some  milk, 
I  saw  4  Crow  Indians,  tame,  5  elk,  and  a  moose.  Fine.  (18  miles) 

Tuesday,  October  1.  I  went  with  Sloane  to  hunt  for  some 
blue  rocks.  We  had  to  ford  the  Yellowstone,  and  rode  about 
20  miles.  We  found  the  rocks,  but  couldn  't  find  the  ford,  and 
nearly  got  swamped  in  trying  to  cross.  I  saw  4  buffalo  today. 
Fine. 

Wednesday  2.  (21  weeks  [from  home].)  We  went  on 
today,  and  the  Englishman  I  met  at  the  Hot  Springs  gave  me 


39.  W.  H.  Holmes,  noted  artist. 

40.  T.  O.  C.  Sloane,  general  assistant. 


[Oct.  3-13,  1872]  DIAEY  OF  SIDFORD  HAMP  293 

a  black  tail  dear  skin,  his  name  is  Hen  Walker.  We  camped 
in  rather  bad  Indian  country,  so  we  picketed  the  liorses  a^id 
pitched  the  tents  round  them,  hut  the  night  passed  without 
alarm.     15  miles.    Fine. 

Thursday  3.  We  travelled  10  miles,  in  an  aufuU  cold 
wind,  and  camped  near  a  beaver  dam.  1  cut  off  3  stumps 
gnawed  by  beavers  as  specimens.     Fine. 

Friday  4.  We  travelled  18  miles,  and  camped  in  a  hollow. 
In  the  middle  of  the  night  we  were  roused  by  the  guard,  who 
said  there  were  liulians  about,  for  they  had  seen  a  small  fire 
on  a  hill  near.  We  lay  awake  till  morning,  expecting  to  be 
fired  at  but  nothing  happened,  and  in  the  morning  we  found 
that  the  stump  of  a  tree  had  been  burning,  which  we  supposed 
had  been  set  a  fire  by  some  one,  a  day  or  two  before.    Fine. 

Saturday  5.  We  travelled  22  miles  through  Shield's  River 
Valley  and  Flathead  Pass,  into  the  Gallatin  Valley,  where  we 
camped.  We  heard  afterwards  that  two  tribes  of  Indians  had 
observed  us  go  through  Shield's  River  Valley,  and  that  tliey 
were  some  of  the  worst  Indians.     Fine. 

Sunday  6.  We  lay  over  today  and  I  rode  with  Steve  to 
get  some  potatoes,  about  6  miles.     Fine. 

Monday  7.  We  travelled  20  miles,  across  Gallatin  Valley, 
and  camped  on  the  Horse-Shoe  bend  of  the  ]\Iissouri  about  4200 
miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Mississippi,  and  about  7000 
from  its  mouth. 

TiTESDAY  8.  We  lay  over  and  I'  did  nothing  l)\it  get  a  shot 
at  a  duck,  and  miss.    Fine. 

Wldnesday    9.    (5   months    [from   home].)      We   travelled 

5  miles  to  Gallatin  City,  and  I  sent  a  letter  to  ]\Iama  aiul  Uncle 
Blackmore.  1  built  myself  a  wickyuj)  with  my  gun  blmket. 
Fine. 

Thursday  10.     Lay  over.     Jack  Bean  shot  2  chickens  and 

6  ducks  with  my  shotgmi,  and  we  had  a  stew  but  among  14 
men  it  didn't  go  far.     Fine. 

Friday  11.  We  travelled  16  miles,  and  camped  on  Dry 
Creek,  which  we  found  was  wet.  We  got  some  butter  and  5 
dozen  eggs  of  which  2  dozen  got  smashed,  nnd  the  rest  were 
eaten  at  the  first  round.    Fine. 

Saturday  12.  We  jogged  on  about  11  miles  and  camped 
on  a  branch  of  the  East  Gallatin,  where  we  luul  a  splendid 
view  of  the  mountains,  on  every  siile  of  the  valley,  which 
looked  splendid  in  the  light  of  the  setting  sun.     Fine. 

Sunday  13.  Th.e  last  day's  travell  for  the  V.  S.  Geological 
Survey  of  the  Territories  party,  abmit  8  miles.  We  camjied 
just  outside  Hozenuin,  to  the  sound  of  the  Church  going  bells. 
It  makes  me  w[h]istle  "God  Save  the  Queen."  We  got  10  lbs. 
of  meat  in  town  but  11  of  us  demolished  it  with  11  lbs.  of  po- 


294  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Oct.  14-18,  1872] 

tatoes,  and  5  of  onions,  with  3  loaves  of  bread,  at  one  meal. 
The  night  was  very  windy.     Fine. 

Monday  14.  (1043  miles).  Horse  sold.  We  lay  over  and 
I  dined  with  Mr.  Wilson  and  bought  some  drawers.  Some  of 
the  party  were  paid  off.  I  packed  my  baggage  and  slept  with 
Sloane  in  the  hotel. 

Tuesday  15.  At  2  oc  AM  the  landlord  called  us,  for  the 
coach,  so  we  got  up  and  went  downstairs.  We  started  at  about 
3  oc  and  had  breakfast  at  9/30.  When  we  were  about  2  miles 
from  Virginia  City,  the  wheel  broke  off  and  we  turned  over. 
No  one  was  hurt,  but  a  Chinaman  who  was  sitting  behind. 
When  we  asked  him  if  he  was  hurt,  he  said  in  a  doleful  man- 
ner "no  breakee,  him  sore."  Burck,*!  Logan  and  I  walked 
into  Virginia  [City] and  left  all  our  baggage  to  be  sent  after 
us.    We  started  on  and  changed  coaches  at  about  1  oc  on 

Highway  Robbery 

Wednesday  16.  (23  weeks  [from  home].)  There  were 
6  inside  and  8  out,  so  we  were  pretty  tightly  fixed.  We  changed 
again  during  the  day,  and  had  more  room  about  8  oc  PM.  AVe 
were  stop[p]ed  by  highwaymen,  and  completely  cleaned  out.'^^ 
(This  was  [the]  only  [thing]  of  note).  We  travelled  on  all 
right  after  that  and  got  to  Ross's  fork  at  about  9  oc  on 

Return  to  Salt  Lake  City 

Thursday  17.  I  slept  in  Frobels  Store,  and  enjoyed  my 
stretch  out  tremendously.     Fine. 

Friday  18.  I  borrowed  a  horse  and  saddle  from  Fisher 
and  rode  over  to  Fort  Hall.  I  was  glad  to  see  all  my  friends 
again  and  they  seemed  glad  to  see  me.     Fine. 


•±1.     Adolf  Burck,  chief  topograjjlier  of  the  expedition. 

42.  In  a  letter  to  his  mother  written  at  Corinne,  Utah,  October  27, 
1872,  Hamp  elaborated  on  the  incident.  "About  8  oc  that  evening 
[October  16]  I  was  asleep  when  suddenly  the  coach  stopped  which  woke 
me  up.  I  was  going  to  look  out  (for  the  blinds  were  down)  when  I  heard 
some  one  outside  say,  "Put  in  your  head  there!  Put  in  your  head!  &  in 
a  little  while  the  voice  said  again,  "get  out  one  at  a  time  &  throw  up 
your  hands"  then  I  knew  in  an  instant  that  the  coach  was  stopped  by 
highwaymen.  One  of  the  passengers  got  out  &  then  I  did  and  all  the  others 
followed  &  stood  in  a  row  with  their  hands  over  their  heads.  There  were 
seven  of  us  besides  one  on  the  box  with  the  driver  &  a  lady  &  child  inside. 
When  we  were  outside,  I  had  time  to  look  about  &  the  first  thing  I  saw 
was  a  man  with  a  double  barrelled  shotgun  full  cocked  pointed  at  the 
driver  &  another  behind  the  coach  with  2  six  barrelled  pistols  in  his 
hands,  casting  sheepseyes  at  the  passengers  (I  think  the  eyes  were  rather 
wolf-in-sheep 's-clothing  sort  of  eyes)  ...  I  took  the  end  nearest  the  shot- 
gun man  so  that  I  could  see  what  he  was  up  to.  When  we  were  all  out 
the   man  with   the   pistols  told   the  coachman  to   throw   out  the   treasure 


[Oct.  19-27,  1872]  DIARY  OF  STDFORD  HAMP  295 

Sx\TURi)AY  19.  We  lay  over  all  today  and  f  read  a  hook 
from  tlie  Fort  Library.     Fine. 

Sunday  20.     Exactly  ditto.    Fine. 

Monday  21.    Ditto  exactly.    Fine. 

TursDAY  22.  The  wa^-on  left  today,  and  a])ont  <S  of  the 
party,  otherwise  the  dny  was  exactly  ditto.     Fine. 

Wedni:>:day  28.  (24  weeks.)  The  rest  of  the  party  started 
today.  We  had  a  fine  drive  to  Ross's  Fork,  fnll  ^aUllop  most 
of  the  way,  and  fioing  on  two  wheels  half  the  time.  We  p:ot  on 
the  coach  and  I  sat  on  the  top  outside  seat  with  Jones.  We 
tried  to  sleep  but  found  it  rather  difficult.  We  nearly  turned 
over  several  times  and  once  I  siezed  hold  of  a  fellow's  hair  who 
was  sittino'  just  below  me.  We  travelled  all  night  without 
sleep,  and  picked  up  3  fellows  on  the  road,  so  we  ha  J  nine 
inside  and  six'  out.    Fine. 

Thursday  24.  We  got  to  Corinne  about  12  P.]\I.  Raining 
hard.  There  were  no  beds  to  be  had  so  we  slept  between  our 
ow^n  wet  blankets  and  did  very  well.     Finish. 

Friday  25.  Loafed  about  the  town  and  hotel  all  day  and 
did  nothing.     Fine. 

Saturday  26.  I  did  nothing  all  day,  but  in  the  evening 
the  city  merchants  gave  Dr.  Ilayden  a  supper,  and  1  managed 
to  get  in.  We  had  champagne  and  speeches,  of  which  th? 
speeches  were  the  best.  It  was  good  fun  altogether.  I  AVr's 
a  small  hero,  on  account  of  the  stage  robbery,  and  very  nearly 
had  to  make  a  speech,  but  luckily  Logan  was  there  so  lie  did 
it.     We  broke  up  about  2  Am  on.  (Fine). 

Sunday  27.  Morning,  at  11  A^I  I  went  to  church  and  had 
the  best  serm(>n  I  ever  heard,  by  Bishoi)  Tuttles  on  geology, 
theology,    etc,    and   their   comparison   to   tlu^    IVible    generally. 


boxes  wliicli  he  did,  (the  tiH';isuic  Ikini's  rontiiiii  iiiuiu'v  or  gold  dust  gen- 
erally). He  then  took  a  small  haehet  he  had  ^\•ith  liiin  and  split  them  open 
pnt  there  was  nothing  in  [them].  Then  he  came  to  us  A:  searched  us. 
He  began  with  me,  he  tirst  took  out  my  watch  but  he  only  looked  at  it  & 
put  it  back  &  said  he  didn't  want  it.  Then  he  felt  in  my  other  pockets 
&  found  a  leather  case  in  which  I  had  $S  t^  all  my  letters.  I  told  him 
there  was  only  $8  in  it  &  he  said  if  he  thought  si)  he  would  give  it  me 
back.  I  asked  him  to  look  inside  but  he  wouldn't.  He  asked  me  what 
I  had  been  doing  as  1  only  had  $R  so  I  told  him  1  was  travelling  with 
anoth?r  fell  w.  I  had  2  £  ii)ounil]  •">  s  [hilling]  notes  in  my  watch  pocket 
which  he  didn't  find.  Then  he  searched  the  others  A:  got  from  the  1st 
$300,  2nd  .$2400,  3rd  .$400),  4th  $1.")0.  oth  $0,  from  the  man  on  the  box 
they  got  $1.30.  The  man  who  lost  none  had  handed  his  jiurse  to  the  lady 
as  iie  got  out  &  as  she  v.asn 't  searched  he  saved  it.  They  tlien  took  the 
candle  out  of  the  coach  lamp  l*;  sear/hed  inside  the  coach.  The  man  on 
the  box  had  a  bottle  of  whiskey,  which  the  robbers  took  from  him  & 
handed  round  for  the  passengers  to  drink.  T  tocdi  some  just  for  the  joke 
of  it  &  because  I  was  cold  with  s<-anding  on*  with  my  hands  up  .  .  . 
Fancv  such  a   thing  as  a  liigliway-robliers  in   Kngland." 


296  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING      [Oct.  28-Nov.  4,  1872] 

I  went  to  the  house  of  a  gentleman  named  Walt  Stein,  who 
the  a  western  "pote."    The  rest  of  the  day  was  a  blank.  Fine. 

Monday  28.  Some  of  ns  went  to  Ogden,  where  to  my  ex- 
ceeding pleasure  I  met  my  old  and  faithful  chum  Spencer.  We 
immediately  tackled  on  to  each  other  and  wennt  and  bought 
myself  a  pair  of  bags  $10.  In  the  evening  we  went  to  hear  a 
miserable  set  of  minstrels.  Then  we  went  to  bed  and  lay 
awake  talking  till  3  oc  in  the  morning.  Spencer  said  that  Mr. 
Langford  showed  our  "pome"  to  Walt  Stein,  who  said  it 
showed  a  great  deal  of  talent. 

Tuesday  29.  We  had  a  kuple  of  photoes  taken  today  just 
to  remember  each  other  by.  I  got  a  telegram  from  Blackwell 
to  tell  me  to  go  to  Salt  Lake  that  night. ^^  I  met  Mr.  Langford 
at  the  station,  and  saw  the  last  of  my  amicable  Spencer,  but 
I  daresaj^  I'll  see  him  again  some  day.  I  got  all  right  to  the 
City  and  found  the  Walker  House,  and  some  supper,  and  the 
Doctor,  and  bed,  and  sleep.     Fine. 

Wednesday  30.  (25  weeks  [from  home].)  We  got  up, 
and  went  down,  and  found  Blackwell  at  5  oc  AM.  We  started 
for  Ophir.  It  was  aufully  cold  at  first,  but  got  warmer  after- 
wards. The  horses  ran  away  down  a  steep  canon  but  we  didn't 
turn  over.  We  had  a  splendid  English  dinner  at  Blackwell's 
house.  I  had  an  aufully  creaky  bed  but  slept  well.   Fine. 

Thursday  31.  We  went  out  to  see  the  "Miner's  Delight" 
mine,  belonging  to  an  English  company,  of  which  Blackwill  is 
manager.  We  went  all  over  it  with  candles  in  our  hands.  It 
seems  pretty  rich,  but  they  want  a  mill  for  the  ore.  We  had 
a  good  supper  and  went  to  bed.    Fine. 

Friday,  Nov.  1.  We  went  back  to  Salt  Lake  today,  and  I 
wrote  a  letter  to  Mother  and  one  to  Nell,  and  sent  a  few  photos 
back.  I  bought  a  book  of  Mormon.  I  saw  Dr.  [Reagles]  \vho 
gave  me  an  Indian  bow  and  two  arrows,  and  a  wicker  water 
bottle  for  Uncle. 

Return  Journey  to  England 

Saturday  2.  We  went  to  Ogden  today,  but  were  to[o] 
late  to  get  my  baggage,  so  I  told  the  Hotel  men  to  express  it 
to  Omaha.  We  took  a  sleeping  berth  and  travelled  all  nio'ht. 
Fine. 

Sunday  3.  We  travelled  all  day,"^-^  and  slept  again  on 
board,  and  fed  in  the  dining  car.    Fine. 

Monday  4.  We  got  to  Omaha.  It  was  aufully  dirty  so 
I  didn't  get  out.    Fine. 


4.3.     Blackwell  was  William  Blackmore  's  Utah  agent  as  well  as  man- 
ager of  the  Emma  and  Ophir  mine  properties. 
44.     Dr.  F.  V.  Hayden  and  Hamp. 


[Oct.  5-16,  1872J  DIARY  OF  8II)F0RD  HAMP  297 

Tuesday  5.  I  saw  Charley  Campbell,"*^  and  went  with  him 
all  over  the  town.  They  have  got  a  splendid  railway  bridge 
over  the  Missonri.  My  baggage  came  from  Ogden  and  we  went 
off  again  at  about  2  PM  and  slept  on  the  ear.    Fine. 

Wednesday  6.  (26  weeks  [from  home].)  "We  got  to  Chi- 
cago, and  had  to  carry  our  baggage  to  the  hotel  as  there  were 
no  horses.  I  went  with  the  doctor  to  see  General  8heridrin. 
We  started  again  in  the  evening  for  Philadelphia.     Fine. 

Thursday  7.    We  travelled  all  day  and  night  again.    Fine. 

Fridait  8.  (6  months)  We  arrived  in  Philadelphia  today 
and  I  got  separated  from  the  Doctor,  and  had  to  find  the  house 
myself  Avhich  I  did  without  much  trouble.  I  was  introduced 
to  the  whole  family  and  got  on  all  right  immediately.    Fine. 

Saturday  9.  I  went  about  the  town,  and  saw  some  pic- 
tures, and  a  jewelry  store. 

Sunday  10.  I  went  to  church,  and  was  introduced  to  the 
parson,  aufull  thin  service.  No  standing  except  for  the  last 
hymn  and  no  prayer  books.     Rather  nice  for  a  change.  Fine. 

Monday  11.  I  saw  General  ^Mead's  funeral  and  General 
Grant,  plenty  of  regulars  and  malitia,  and  Gerard  C'olledQ-e.  I 
dined  with  Adams.     Fine. 

Tuesday  12.  Raining.  Packed  Dr.  Hayden's  books,  and 
left  Philadelphia  at  about  8  PM  and  travelled  all  night.  Phila- 
delphia is  a  very  nice  town  as  far  as  I  could  see  it,  but  the 
horses  were  all  sick  so  I  couldn't  go  about  very  much. 

Wednesday  13.  (27  weeks  [from  home].)  We  got  to 
Washington  at  2  AM  and  had  breakfast  at  the  Doctor's  house. 
I  went  down  to  the  office,  and  saw  a  good  many  of  my  friends. 
I  went  up  to  the  Capitol  to  see  Moran's  picture  of  the  Yellow- 
stone. I  got  my  trunk  from  Denver  and  gave  them  a  bonus  [  ?] 
in  the  evening.  I  telegraphed  for  a  berth  on  board  the  Canada, 
and  got  No.  64.     Fine. 

Thursday  14.  I  got  some  photos  which  I  packed  up  and 
Avaited  for  the  morrow.    Fine. 

Friday  15.  Checked  my  baggage,  bought  my  ticket,  took 
leave  of  all  my  friends  and  departed,  by  night  train  for  New 
York  all  alone. 

Saturday  16.  Got  to  N.  Y.  at  10  A:\I.  and  went  straight 
on  board.  My  l)Oxes  came  in  about  half  an  hour,  and  I  got  a 
quarter  master  to  help  me  '^et  them  on  board  for  which  I  tipped 
him.  I  got  some  breakfast  at  about  12,  in  a  sailor's  dining 
room  and  then  went  on  board  again.  At  about  2  PM  the  jias- 
sengers  came  on  board,  and  after  j)lenty  of  leave  takings,  and 
female  blubj  b]eriiigs,  we  started.     We   had  dinner  at  4.   ainl 


45.     Charles  R.  Uaiuplu'll,  ono  of  the  tliroo  youths  of  the  expedition, 
had   been   assistant    to   photographer    William    Henry   .laeksoii. 


298  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING  [Oct.  17-30,  1872] 

tea  at  7.    After  tea  I  went  on  deck  to  get  a  last  look  at  Amer- 
ica, but  all  I  could  see,  was  a  black  mist  like  a  cloud. — Fine. 

Now  begins  my  Sea  Voyage  back  again. 

Sunday  17.  I  was  just  sick  a  bit  by  way  of  trial,  but  not 
badly,  in  the  morning,  and  in  the  evening  I  tried  again  but 
it  came  to  nothing  much.  My  cabin  companion  is  a  fat  Bel- 
gian.    Pine. 

Monday  18.    Nothing  particular.    Well.    Fine. 

Tuesday  19.    Ditto.    Fine. 

Wednesday  20.  (28  weeks  [from  home].)  Windy.  Oth- 
erwise ditto. 

Thursday  21.  (Wet.)  Aufully  rough.  Big  gale.  We 
rolled  about  aufullj^,  and  lots  of  plates  were  smashed,  and  one 
boat  smashed. 

Friday  22.    Hurricane.    Rough  as  blazes.    Wet. 

Saturday  23.    Gale,  Bought  as  blazes.    Wet. 

Sunday  24.    Gale,  Rough  as  blazes.    Wet. 

Monday  25.    Calmer.    Play  chess.    Fine. 

Tuesday  26.  See  the  lights  off  Ireland.  Great  expecta- 
tions.    Fine. 

Wednesday  27.  (29  weeks  [from  home].)  Got  into  Cork 
at  5  AM.  I  got  up  to  see  the  pilot  come  on  board  but  got  into 
bed  again,  and  went  to  sleep  before  we  started.  The  color  of 
the  water  changed  from  blue  to  green,  we  lost  sight  of  the  coast 
again  in  the  evening.     Fine. 

Thursday  30.  We  landed  at  7/30  and  started  by  train 
at  1/30,  and  got  home  ab[out]  7/30  PM,  amid  great  rejoicings, 
and  unpackings,  bathing  and  laughing,  questions,  and  answers, 
&c.  &c.  &c. 

So  end  the  adventures. 

During  the  space  of  6  months,  26  days. 

Sidford  Fred  Hamp 
Ashburnham  Rd. 
Bedford. 
England. 


PRESS  ON  WHEELS 
By  Burton  DeLoney" 

Personal  journalism  in  the  raw. 

Such  might  be  an  all  inclusive  description  of  the  "pioneer 
newspaper  of  the  plains,"  the  first  paper  to  be  published  in 
Laramie,  one  of  the  first  in  Wyomiuji-.  the  Frontier  Index,  which 
ground  out  the  news  of  the  dav  during  the  momentous  vears  of 
1865  through  1868. 

A  study  of  the  Index,  whose  brief  and  noisy  career  started 
in  Fort  Kearney,  Nebraska,  in  '65^  and  continued  until  No- 
vember 20,  '68,  when  its  type  and  presses  were  destroyed  by  the 
lawlessness  it  so  adequately  reported  and  so  severely  condemned, 
is  indeed  a  study  in  personal  journalism  in  which  no  holds  are 
barred  and  in  which  nothing  is  left  to  innuendo  or  imagination 
if  words  could  be  mustered  to  convey  plain  meaning. 

The  writer  recenth'  had  occasion  to  study  films  of  the  only 
remaining  copies  of  the  journal  as  a  history  project  at  the  Uni- 


*BIOGEAPHICAL  SKETCH— Burton  DeLoney,  director  of  the 
Student  Union  Building  at  the  University  of  Wyoming,  was  born  Janu- 
ary 8,  1915.  He  is  the  son  of  Xephi  J.  and  Mary  DeLoney.  Following 
his  graduation  from  the  University  of  Wyoming  in  193S,  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  newspaperman  at  Jackson,  Laramie  and  Cheyenne,  assum- 
ing his  present  position  in  March  1939.  On  January  24,  1939,  he  was 
married  to  Helen  Jay  at  Ames,  Iowa.  They  have  one  son,  John  Burton. 
Mr.  DeLoney  is  a  member  of  the  Rotary  Club  of  Laramie. 

1.  A  paragraph  in  the  Aug.  11,  1868,  issue  of  the  Index  printed 
under  the  dateline  of  Green  River  City  says:  "This  is  the  7th  railroad 
town  we  have  be«n  at  since  we  opened  up  at  Kearney  in    '65. 

In  an  article  ' '  Pioneer  Printing  in  Wyoming, ' '  publislied  in  the  Vol.  9, 
No.  3  edition  of  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING,  p.  732,  Douglas  C.  Mc- 
Murtrie   writes: 

"The  Frntiiicr  Indcj-  traces  its  history  to  the  Fort  Kearney,  Nebraska, 
Herald,  established  in  June,  1862,  by  Moses  H.  Sydenham.  He  obtained  a 
press  from  Boston  and  other  materials  from  Chicago  for  the  establishment 
of  his  office,  the  second  in  western  Nebraska.  Tlie  Herald  was  published 
only  for  the  purpose  of  attracting  attention  to  the  western  country.  After 
continuing  his  paper  for  about  six  montlis,  Sydenham  sold  it  to  Seth  P. 
Mobley,  a  soldier  in  the  Seventh  Iowa  Cavalry  at  Fort  Kearney  and  a 
man  named  Bruudage,  then  telegraph  operator  at  tlie  fort.  After  the  war 
Leigh  R.  Freeman  succeeded  Hrundage  as  telegrajih  operator,  an.l  Freeman, 
with  his  brother,  also  accpiired  the  i)ress.  They  discontinued  the  Herald  and 
beo-an  the  Frontier  Inde.r,  issued  from  Adobe  Town  or  Kearney  City." 


300  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

versitv  of  Wyoming.^  The  original  copies  are  in  the  Bancroft 
Library  at  the  University  of  California,  Berkeley.  These  copies 
start  with  the  March  6,  1868,  issue  at  Fort  Sanders,  Dakota 
Territory,  and  continue  to  the  edition  of  November  17,  1868, 
when  the  editor  takes  issue  with  the  hoodlums  of  Bear  River 
City. 

The  paper  does  much  more  than  reflect  the  interesting  per- 
sonalties of  its  editors  and  publishers,  The  Freeman  Brothers, 
Fred  K.  and  Legh  R."*  It  reports  one  of  the  most  interesting 
chapters  of  the  West.  In  its  columns  are  a  week-by-week  ac- 
count of  the  building  of  the  railroad  which  was  within  a  short 
time  to  bring  an  end  to  Indian  troubles,  draw  population  and 
prosperity  to  the  West  and  forever  end  the  myth  of  the  Great 
American  Desert.  Its  one-column  local  items  give  a  more  inti- 
mate picture  of  the  life  and  times  of  the  period  than  many  of 
the  well  polished  phrases  of  historians.  Every  issue  is  drama- 
packed  in  the  simple  reporting  of  life  on  the  frontier.  Death 
by  violence  was  so  commonplace  as  to  receive  no  more  than  mere 
mention. 

This  news  content,  mixed  with  a  vigorous  editorial  policy 
which  the  editors  did  not  separate  from  news  reporting,  makes 
this  journal  most  highly  interesting.  By  contrast  the  most  vocif- 
erous and  colorful  of  our  modern  Wyoming  journals  seem  to 
have  the  qualities  of  milk  toast. 

As  a  practical  matter,  the  Frontier  Index  was  unique  among 
newspapers.  In  the  first  place,  during  its  life,  its  vanguard 
edition  was  published  at  eight  different  places  before  its  rude 


2.  The  earliest  extant  copy  of  the  Frontier  Index  was  published  at 
Julesburg,  Colorado,  in  July  1867.  The  copy  is  volume  1,  number  16.  It  is 
framed  and  on  disjjlay  in  the  Union  Pacific  Historical  Museum  at  Omaha. 
It  carried  a  note  on  page  three:  "The  Index  is  one  day  behind  time,  on 
account  of  waiting  for  our  printing  paper  to  come,  but  we  are  at  least  dis- 
appointed, and  compelled  to  issue  on  brown  wrapping  paper  or  none  at  all. ' ' 
Ibid. 

The  Bancroft  file  contains  the  following  numbers:  March  6  and  24, 
1868,  published  at  Fort  Sanders,  D.  T.;  April  21  to  July  7,  1868,  published 
at  Laramie  City,  D.  T. ;  August  11  to  21,  1868,  published  at  Green  River 
City,  D.  T.;  August  25  to  October  13,  1868,  published  at  Green  Eiver  City, 
Wyoming;  and  October  30  to  November  17,  1868,  published  at  Bear  Eiver 
City,  Wyoming. 

3.  The  name  of  Legh  R.  Freeman  has  been  variously  spelled.  However, 
in  all  issues  of  the  Bancroft  file  it  is  spelled  as  it  appears  in  this  article. 

According  to  McMurtrie,  the  Freemans  were  Virginians.  Legh  E.  at 
least  had  served  with  the  Confederate  forces  during  the  Ci\il  War,  and 
both  brothers  were  ' '  Democrats  of  the  strongest  seccesionist  kind. ' ' 


PEESS  ON   VVHKELS  301 

demise  at  Bear  River  City>  At  one  time,  in  late  July  and  Au- 
gust, 1868,  editions  were  being  published  simultaneously  at 
Green  River  and  Benton,  which  was  quite  a  boom  town  in  its 
day  near  the  present  site  of  Fort  Steele.  The  Index  has  been 
referred  to  in  Wyoming  histories  as  a  daily  newspaper.  How- 
ever, there  is  no  evidence  to  support  this  claim.  The  Freemans 
on  several  occasions  promised  to  change  from  a  semi-weekly  to 
a  daily  but  never  did  do  so.''  In  the  papers  studied,  Fred  K. 
Freeman  was  home  editor  at  Laramie  and  Legli  R.  served  as 
a  traveling  correspondent.  However,  after  the  vanguard  edi- 
tion moved  to  Green  River,  Legh  R.  was  editor  of  the  editions 
studied,  Fred  remaining  in  Laramie,  later  indulging  in  terri- 
torial politics.''  The  editors  called  their  paper  "the  press  on 
wheels,"  an  appropriate  name  since  part  of  its  equipment  was 
moved  by  wagon  to  advanced  points  on  the  L^nion  Pacific  grade 
where  there  were  promises  of  settlement  and  business. 

The  Index  was  more  than  merely  a  colorful  local  newspaper. 
The  advertising  carried,  the  breadth  of  news  content  and  na- 
tional interest  in  the  progress  of  the  railroad  would  indicate 
that  it  was  of  considerable  importance.  Nearly  every  edition 
carried  a  full  page  of  advertising  from  various  business  houses 
in  Chicago,  Omaha  and  San  Francisco,  as  well  as  from  new  towns 
along  the  railroad.  Though  certainly  not  audited,  the  claim  of 
its  circulation  at  its  peak  (both  the  Green  River  City  and  Benton 
editions)  was  15,000  with  coverage  of  the  entire  Avest. 

Hand-spiked,  the  paper's  typograpliy  was  clear  and  its 
makeup  and  arrangement  of  advertising  neat,  it  was  six  col- 
umns, tabloid  size,  each  edition  of  the  semi-weekly  t-ontaiuing 


4.  Published  lirst  at  one  })liU'e  and  then  aiuither,  the  Frontier  Index 
has  a  decidedly  elusive  history.  Ho\\e\H'r,  t'loni  referenees  in  the  Bancroft 
file  it  is  evident  that  the  paper  was  published  at  Laramie,  Benton,  Green 
River  and  Bear  I^iver  City  in  Wyoniiui). 

McMurtrie's  study  further  establishes  that  it  was  jiublished  at  Fort 
Kearney,  Plum  Creek,  and  North  Platte  in  Nebraska  and  .lulesburjj  in 
Colorado.      See   ^NlcMurtrie,   lor.   cit.,   Note    11,   pp.    7H(i-.")7. 

5.  In  the  August  11  issue  at  Gre':?n  River  City,  Legh  Freeman  writes: 
"We  have  another  brand  new  office  with  a  power  press  with  our  Henton 
edition,  and  whenever  the  busim\ss  of  this  place  demands  it  we  will  have 
the  whole  of  it  come  here  and  then  start  a  daily  i)aper."  Previously  Fred 
K.  Freeman  had  ]iro;uiseil  Laramie  a  daily  jiaper  when  business  war- 
ranted it. 

6.  While  there  are  several  references  to  the  Freemans  starting:  another 
paper  in  Laramie  after  the  Laramie  plant  was  shipjied  to  Benton,  there  is 
no  evidence  that  the  plan  materialized.  In  the  Sept.  4  Index,  a  cohr.nn  of 
correspondence  from  Laramie  includes  the  remark:  "Freeman  and  Brother 
are  fitting  up  a  new  printing  oflice  in  Laramie  City  for  another  permanent 
Democratic  paper  edited  after  the  style  of  the  Frontier  Index." 

McMurtrie  says  that  after  t\w' Frontier  Index  left  Laramie  in  the 
summer  of  1S6S  there  was  no  other  press  there  until  May  IS(iS).  when  the 
Laramie  Ihiilii  Sentinel  was  begun  by  N.  A.  Baker,  a  pioneer  of  the 
printing  art  in  Wyoming. 


302  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

four  pages.  As  supplies  were  expensive  and  hard  to  get,  all  of 
the  news  was  boiled  down.  Nevertheless,  an  edition's  offering 
included  a  lengthy  letter  on  some  area  of  the  West  by  one  of 
its  correspondents ;  short  items  of  national  news  by  telegraph ; 
local  news ;  a  few  clippings  from  exchanges ;  considerable  ad- 
vertising ;  and  editorials.  Editorial  comment  more  often  than 
not  was  injected  in  the  reporting  of  news.  A  unique  feature  was 
the  listing  of  unclaimed  mail  available  at  the  local  postoffiee.  It 
boasted  equipment  and  supplies  that  prepared  it  "to  compete 
with  any  office  west  of  Chicago  and  St.  Louis."  The  subscrip- 
tion rate  was  $3  quarterly,  $10  annually,  when  it  was  published 
Tuesdays  and  Fridays  at  Laramie.  Before  the  year  was  over 
rates  were  boosted  to  $4  quarterly. 

Before  taking  a  more  intimate  look  into  the  columns  of  the 
Index  it  might  be  well  to  study  the  historical  backdrop  against 
which  the  interesting  news  and  editorial  comments  appear.  By 
the  spring  of  '68  the  rails  of  the  Union  Pacific  were  being  laid 
down  the  west  side  of  Sherman  Hill  and  before  the  year  was 
over  an  all-time  record  of  railroad  building  was  to  be  attained. 
The  Indians  were  a  constant  nuisance  with  Red  Cloud  and  his 
allies  having  won  the  treaty  of  '68  in  which  the  Bozeman  Road 
was  abandoned  and  the  Whites  told  to  stay  out  of  the  Powder 
River  country.  The  Reconstruction  Republicans  were  in  the 
saddle  in  Washington.  The  area  which  was  to  become  the  Ter- 
ritory of  AVyoming  was  about  to  kick  off  its  swaddling  clothes 
and  disclaim  connection  with  Dakota  Territory.  The  Mormons 
still  were  in  disrepute  in  the  East.  And  the  common  complaint 
among  westerners  was  that  the  eastern  law  makers  had  little 
understanding  of  the  west  and  its  problems. 

This  background  should  readily  explain  the  bold  platform 
of  the  Index: 

"THE   FRONTIER  INDEX 

"The  Pioneer  paper  of  the  Plains — of  the  successive  terminal 
towns  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad — as  the  gigantic  continental  thor- 
oughfare progresses  westward!  And  of  the  Territory  of  Wj^oming!  [Le- 
gally  there   was  no   such  thing   yet]. 

"Our  travelling  correspondents  and  agents  have  extended  the  cir-' 
culation  throughout  Montana,  Idaho,  Utah,  Aztec,  Arizona,  California, 
Nevada,  Wyoming,  Dakota,  Oregon,  Washington,  Colorado,  New  Mexico, 
Nebraska,  Kansas,  and  the  East  and  the  South!!! 

"It  is  found  in  the  reading  rooms  of  every  ranch  throughout  the 
West!!! 

"It  is  the  only  "Gentile"  paper  that  is  conducted  in  such  a  con- 
ciliatory manner  as  to  have  secured  a  general  circulation  among  the 
widespread  business  element  of  the  Mormons!!! 

"It  does  not  advocate  sending  an  army  of  "sijoonies"  to  plunder 
and  lay  waste  the  peaceful  mountain  homes — ravish  the  women;  and 
entail  starvation  upon  the  orj^haned  children  of  an  harmonious  brother- 
hood— a  brotherhood  which  has  converted  a  savage  sagebrush  desert  into 
the  happiest  community  in   America!!!! 


PRESS  ON  WHEELS  303 

"As  the  emblem  of  American  Lil)eity,  Tlie  Frontier  Index  is  now 
perched  upon  the  summit  of  tlie  Rocky  Mountains;  flaps  its  wings  over 
the  great  West,  and  screams  forth  in  thunder  and  liglitning  tones  the 
principals  of  the  unterrified  anti -Nigger,  anti-Chinese,  anti-Indian  party 
— Masonic  Democracy! !!!!!'  "7 

"Screams  forth  in  thunder  and  lijihtnhio-  tones"  was  no  over- 
statement. If  the  Editors  Freeman  were  ayainst  sometliinor,  they 
were  really  against  it.  On  the  contrary,  if  they  were  for  some-, 
thing,  their  enthusiasm  and  descrijjtions  hardly  could  be  called 
restrained.  The  anti-comment  was  levelled  largely  at  the  Re- 
publicans, Republican  Reconstruction  policy,  the  army  and  In- 
dian policy.  The  pro-comment  was  on  the  possibilities  of  the 
West  and  its  new  railroad  communities. 

For  example,  when,  after  the  Index  had  assailed  Grant  all 
summer,  using  such  epithets  as  ' '  Useless  Slaughter ' '  and  ' '  Horse 
Useless"  in  place  of  Ulysses  S.,  the  election  went  Republican, 
keen  disappointment  and  great  contempt  were  summarized  in 
the  headline : 

"GKANT  AND   COLFAX  ELECTED— 
THE  COUNTRY  GONE   TO— HALLIFAX" 

A  sample  of  the  editor's  views  on  the  Indian  polit-y  of  the 
time  can  be  seen  from  a  paragraph  in  the  issue  of  March  6 : 

' '  The  Indian  agent  at  Fort  Phil  Kearney  has  supplied  the  Sioux 
and  Cheyenne  Indians  with  enough  to  kill  every  white  now  in  the  Pow- 
der River  country.  How  long  will  it  take  to  make  peace  or  subdue  the 
Indians  by  pursuing  this  miserable  and  criminal  policy?'' 

But,  as  caustic  as  the  connnent  was  on  general  issues,  it 
took  a  good  personal  battle  to  bring  out  the  best  in  the  Freemans. 

One  gathers  from  reading  tlie  Index  that  while  it  was  being 
published  at  Fort  Sanders,  just  out  of  Laramie,  the  editor.  Fred 
K.  Freeman,  did  not  get  along  well  with  the  connnanding  offi- 
cer of  the  fort.  General  Gibbon.  At  any  rate,  as  soon  as  the  date 
lines  of  the  paper  show  the  location  of  Laramie  City,  fireworks 
begin  and  continue  until  the  brother,  Legh  R..  t;d\es  over  the 
editorship  at  Green  River.  We  read  : 

''While  the  Frontier  Index  was  at  Fort  Sander.s  it  did  not  devote 
every  paragraph  and  column  to  Gen.  (libbon  and  his  brass  buttons; 
therefore,  we  were  not  deemed  worthy  of  the  privilege  of  remaining 
witliin  the  bounds  of  the  military  reservation  and  having  access  to  the 
government  (?)  beer  saloon.  Our  building  at  the  fort  which  we  paid 
General  Gibbon  for — at  his  own  jirice — has  Iteen  defamed  by  putting  a 
"post  fund"  beer  saloon  and  a  ])rivate  (post  fund)  restaurant  in  it. 
Shame — what  a  shame!  All  right,  (ien.  (lihbon  is  a  tooth  and  toenail 
Grantnian;  wait  will  .vou,  until  Pendleton  gets  into  the  V .  S.  wagon — 
we'll  make  somebodv  howl." 


7.     All   quoted  material   has   been  copied   verbatim;   words  in  brackets- 
within  excerpts  have  been  ailded  by  the  author. 


304  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

And  then  four  days  later : 

".  .  .  So  long  as  G-eneral  Gibbon  or  any  other  military  agent  is  a 
public  servant,  hired  by  the  U.  S.  government,  we  shall,  while  our  bazoo 
is  left  unmuzzled,  talk  of  General  G's  flagrant  errors,  and  of  the  beau- 
ties of  spring  ' '  or  any  other  man ' ',  regardless  of  consequences,  let  them 
be  what  they  may! 

''.  .  .  General  Gibbon's  bridge  across  Laramie  River,  built  by  the 
government,  is  an  imposition  upon  taxpayers;  the  idea  of  charging  $2 
a  team  for  one  single  team  going  over  that  bridge — sixty  or  eighty  yards 
long!  Feeding  sheep  upon  a  government  reservation  and  fining  citizens 
for  doing  the  same.  Taking  in  a  big  income  from  his  beer  saloon  (in 
the  old  Frontier  Index  office)  from  the  soldiers — poor  soliders!  That 
restaurant  in  the  backrooms  of  the  Frontier  Index  office — does  it 
bring  in  $40  a  month?  Oh,  what  a  big  thing  it  is  to  embrace  Grant — " 
jest  "to  hug  him  for  old  acquaintance  sake.  W«  are  out  of  luck.  Grant 
is  too  much  nigger — too  much  G.A.E.  for  us!" 

The  outcome  of  these  skirmishes  is  not  reported  in  the  avail- 
able editions  of  the  Index. 

While  the  editorial  comment  was  generally  strong  and  hard- 
ly without  prejudice,  much  of  it  was  sober  and  definitely  re- 
flected an  understanding  of  the  problems  of  the  West.  The 
Freemans  were  great  boosters,  although  not  without  an  eye  to 
profit.  They  operated  a  real  estate  business  which  they  called 
"Business  on  Wheels."  At  Laramie  City,  Fred  K.  cautioned 
^'non-property  holders  and  high  flyers  ...  to  refrain  from 
trying  to  organize  and  incorporate  the  town  until  the  property 
owners  and  business  men"  arrived  ;  he  consistently  supported  law 
and  order  and  urged  adequate  policing,  and  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  territorial  politics.  Legh  R.  is  credited  by  the  Histo- 
rian C.  G.  Coutant  with  having  done  more  than  any  other  man 
in  popularizing  the  name  "Wyoming"  for  what  was  then  the 
western  part  of  Dakota  territory.  He  continually  referred  to 
Wyoming  Territor}^  and  Coutant  says  "there  is  no  doubt  that 
such  editorial  work  had  its  effect  on  the  people  in  this  country 
and  those  who  afterwards  inserted  the  name  in  the  bill  creating 
Wyoming  Territory. '  ''^ 

Interesting  as  these  pioneer  editors  were  in  editorial  frank- 
ness, their  business  methods  too  seem  sharp  in  the  light  of  mod- 
ern methods.  The  Freemans  were  able  and  enterprising.  Their 
paper  carried  advertising  from  major  supply  centers,  Chicago 
and  Omaha  on  the  East,  San  Francisco,  Salt  Lake  City  on  the 
West,  as  well  as  from  the  many  towns  along  the  new  railroad. 
The  percentage  of  advertising  to  news  was  always  heavily  in 
favor  of  the  former.  Advertising  sold  at  $22  a  column  per  week. 
Advertising  was  carried  on  page  one.     Remarks  of  the  editor 


8.     Coutant,  C.  G.,  History  of  Wyoming,  Chaplin,  Spafford  &  Mathison, 
Printers,  Laramie,  Wyoming,  1899,  pp.  621-22. 


J'RKRS  ON   \VHI:EL8  305 

would  indicate,  however,  that  the  most  profital)le  department 
was  in  job  printing. 

Businesrs  policy  required  "transient  advertising  be  paid  in 
advance"  and  "no  advertisement  from  the  states  be  inserted 
without  the  cash  (at  advertised  rates)  accompanyi)ig  the  order, 
unless  from  one  of  the  regular  authorized  agents." 

Paragraphs  on  tlie  wortli  of  advertising  took  this  t>'pi<'al 
slant : 

"He  who  is  too  ineaii  and  illiln'ial  to  ailvoitisf  in  liis  local  jiaper, 
is  too  too  mean  and  illilieral  to  fjive  you  a  bargain. " 

Or: 

"...  If  you  intend  or  war.t  to  go  ;o  kingdoniconie  decently  don't 
for  God's  sake  try  to  bamboozle  tlit>  editor  of  this  paper  into  a  gratis 
puff.  Bamboozles  are  played,  we're  chock  full  of  them.  Our  i  tomack 
is  weak  and  no  more  will  digest.  We  can  't  scra':ch  your  back  unless  you 
scratch  ours.  Advertise  and  you'll  sleep  well;  pay  us  for  writing  and 
you'll  get  rich;  support  the  pa}ier  ai.d  you'll  die  happy  and  suddenly, 
thereby  saving  a  doctor's  bill.'' 

A  singular  method  of  l)iil  collection  is  worih  noting: 

"A  certain  erratic  firm  in  town  possessed  themselves  of  a  job 
of  printing  in  a  sliglr:  of  hand  way,  some  time  since,  and  if  the  party 
does  not  come  forward  and  settle  the  bill  without  furtlier  trouble,  we 
will  publish  the  name  in  next  Friday's  issue." 

An  interesting  approach  to  circulation  promotion  is  seen  in 
the  squib : 

"Any  young  lady  ^vho  will  send  us  a  club  of  six  new  subscribers, 
we  will  eith-er  marry  her  ourself,  or  use  our  prevailing  endeavors  on  [he 
young  man  of  her  choice.  We  have  blank  licenses  on  hand  for  the  ]nir- 
pose  already  signed.     Nothing  to  do  but  call  on  the  parson." 

The  advertising  carried  in  the  various  editions  of  the  hide.r 
is  typical  of  the  period,  with  some  over-statement,  but  with  lu^th- 
ing  to  compare  with  modern  appeals.  The  various  needs  of 
frontier  people  are  well  in  mind  with  coal  oil  lamps,  lanterns. 
carbines,  etc.,  offered  for  sale  in  simple  language.  Of  course, 
in  terms  oi'  modern  display  advertising  the  ad  layouts  are 
crowded  and  unattractive.  The  most  interesting  asjiect  of  Index 
ad\'ertising  is  the  wide  ten-itory  from  which  it  was  drawn. 

Like  other  dei)artments,  the  ads,  too,  have  the  unusual.  For 
example,  an  endorsement  for  a  pliysician  was  carried  as  follows: 

June  19,  1868 
Wyoming  City 
■'This  is  to  certify  that  having  met  witli  misfortune  of  having  my 
left  jaw  broken  in  two  places  while  in  the  employ  of  the  V.  P.  R.  R., 
the  medical  attention  received  from  Dr.  J.  X.  runningham  prompts  me 
to  recommend  him  to  the  eommunitv  as  an  efficient  physician  ;ind 
suro-eon.  '  W.  C\  ARMSTRONG. " 


306  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Interesting  as  is  the  Frontier  Index  as  a  newspaper  in  it- 
self, perhaps  the  most  enjoyment  from  perusing  this  old  journal 
is  found  in  the  interesting  insight  into  the  life  and  times  of  the 
period  its  columns  give. 

As  the  historians  have  recorded,  private  enterprise  kept 
pace  with  the  operations  of  the  railroad  company  as  the  rails 
stretched  westward.  Town  building,  in  advance  of  the  rails, 
was  very  popular  with  a  larg^e  number  of  enterprising  men,  but 
many  of  these  were  doomed  to  disappointment.  The'  railroad 
company  naturally  preferred  to  lay  out  towns  on  railroad  land, 
without  much  regard  for  the  wishes  of  independent  town  build- 
ers. Inside  information  as  to  where  the  various  repair  shops 
and  maintenance  units  were  to  be  placed  was  at  a  premium.  The 
Freemans  usually  claimed  to  have  this  information,  although 
one  suspects  that  their  real  estate  business  might  have  prompted 
them  to  exaggerate  their  foreknowledge.  At  any  rate,  adver- 
tising in  the  Index  on  prospective  railroad  centers,  and  editorial 
comment  amply  testify  to  the  keen  competition  between  the 
embryo  towns,  a  competition  which  today  sees  a  hangover  on 
the  high  school  gridiron. 

For  example,  three  days  before  the  rails  reached  Laramie 
City  on  the  afternoon  of  May  8,  the  Index  wrote : 

' '  The  Frontier  Index,  which  has  been  keeping  pace  with  the  progress 
of  the  great  U.  P.  R.  R.  for  the  last  two  years,  is  now  anchored  at  Lara- 
mie City  .  .  .  The  ' '  press  on  wheels "...  will  be  the  advance  guard 
of  the  new  commonwealth,  and  all  croakers  and  one  idea  organs  such 
as  Shian  squirts  [refers  to  the  Cheyenne  papers]  had  better  lie  low, 
else  they  will  get  scooped. ' ' 

Previously,  while  the  plant  was  still  at  Fort  Sanders,  the 
paper's  date  line  was  carried  as  Laramie  City  from  Tuesday, 
April  21.  Fred  K.  Freeman,  editor  at  Laramie,  showed  an  early 
affection  for  the  city.     His  editorial  of  the  21st  was  as  follows : 

"THE  CITY  OF  THE  PLAINS 

"We  have  it — Laramie  City;  it  has  jumped  into  existence.  The 
railroad  towns  between  Omaha  and  the  Rocky  Mountains  which  have 
been  built  up  within  the  last  two  years,  are  alive  and  flourishing,  but 
none  of  them  have  one-hundredth  part  of  the  natural  advantages  that 
Laramie  boasts  of.  Look  yonder  .  .  .  timber  .  .  .  iron  and  copper  .  .  . 
coal  cropping  out  .  .  .  splendid  beds  of  gypsum  .  .  .  positive  prospects 
of  rich  gold  and  silver  mines  .  .  .  attractive  farming  lands  .  .  .  How 
can  Laramie  get  around  being  a  permanent  town  of  much  wealth  and 
extensive  growth?  There  is  no  possible  way  to  dodge  it;  it  will  prosper 
and  become  the  pride  of  western  people.  Here  we  will  have  large 
manufactories,  rolling  mills,  quartz  mills,  saw  mills,  plaining  mills,  be- 
sides many  other  outside  improvements;  besides  railroad  machine  shops, 
round  houses,  car  houses,  warehouses,  etc.,  etc.,  where  the  U.P.R.R. 
will  be  compelled  to  build  at  this  point. 

"Do  you  ask  why  it  is  necessary  to  put  up  all  of  these  conveniences 
and  facilities  at  Laramie?     We  answer  it  is  the  most  suitable  location 


PRESS  ON  WHEELS  307 

on    th«   road,   and   the   only    luitinal    incxliau.stihk-    locality   between    the 
Missouri  River  and  Salt  Lake. 


"Laramie  City  has  eoinnieiiced  its  hold  and  pr-jniising  career.  The 
young  Nineveh  is  already  lifting  its  steeples  high  above  the  encom- 
passing mountain  chains,  and  will,  in  a  few  weeks,  look  definitely  over 
the  crumbling  peaks,  and  beckon  eastern  emigration— by  thousands, 
now  searching  new  western  homes — to  come  hither  and  shake  hands  with 
freedom  and  fortune. 

"Laramie,  beyond  all  question  of  doubt,  is  the  great  interior  rail- 
road town. ' ' 

Whether  it  was  Freeman's  enthusiasm  or  the  common  sense 
in  his  remarks  that  served  as  the  inducement  we  have  no  way 
of  telling,  but  at  any  rate  an  article  of  the  issue  of  April  28, 
reads : 

"...  Everybody  Buying  Lots  ...  It 's  growth  [Laramie's]  is  more 
than  wonderful.  The  town  is  only  a  week  old,  and — think  of  it — there 
are  already  over  a  thousand  lots  taken.  The  cry  from  morning  to  night 
is  lots,  lots.  W.  B.  Bent,  the  indefatigueable  real  estate  agent  of  the 
U.  P.  R.  R.  has  some  eager  l>uyer  tugging  at  his  coattail  from  daylight 
to  dark;  one  wants  to  know  the  price  of  this  lot;  another  says  he  must 
have  the  corner  lot;  another  insists  upon  having  the  inside  lots  what 
have   been   bought   and  paid   for. 

"The  cat  is  now  out  of  the  bag.  The  great  interior  railnia<l  lown 
is  a  fixed  fact.  Laramie  is  to  be  the  half-way  Chicago  between  Omaiia 
and  Salt  Lake. ' ' 

The  Index  records  in  its  issue  of  May  5  that  "Laramie  City 
is  but  two  weeks  old  and  already  contains  a  population  of  two 
thousand  inhabitants. 

While  in  his  issue  of  May  5  Freeman  diseouraires  organizing 
the  new  city  until  the  property  owners  arrive,  by  June  16  he 
writes  in  favor  of  such  a  move.  Apparently  a  previous  attempt 
to  organize  the  city  had  proved  abortive,  for  in  the  issue  of 
•Tune  12  M.  C.  Brown,  who  later  was  to  preside  at  the  Wyoming 
constitutional  convention,  publishes  a  notice  of  resignation  of 
the  mayoralty,  indicating  that  in  consideration  "of  the  incom- 
petency of  many  of  the  officers"  he  was  unable  to  administer 
the  city  goverinnent  in  accordance  Avith  the  necessities  of  tlie 
state. 

Meanwhile,  Laramie  became  a  bustling  little  city,  and  Free- 
man took  great  delight  in  telling  of  the  fact  to  his  colleagues  of 
the  Cheyenne  fourth  estate.  Referring  to  Cheyenne,  (toward 
which  city  Freeman  held  a  cordial  contemiit).  Freeman  wrote: 

"...  She  is  solely  dei)endant  for  her  future  greatness  upon  the 
Denver  branch  road.  The  upper  forts  are  to  be  abandoned  and  the  "Mag- 
ic Citv "  becomes  a  Denver  junction:  six  months  hence  Shian  will  be 
composed  of  two  saloons,  two  dance  liouses — and  another  saloon!  How 
are  vou  Shian.'  Say   Mr.  Leader   [refers  to  Cheyenne  Leader]    two  large 


-308  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

railroad  warehouses  are  going  up  near  our  office.  Two  hundred  private 
business  houses  are  being  built  around  the  Index  office.  We  have  the 
music   of  hammer   and  saw   both  morning  and   night    ..." 

Or  again : 

"The  [Cheyenne]  Argus,  Leader,  and  Star  have  for  five  months 
be«n  saying  "fiddlesticks — Laramie  City — ";  we  say  fiddlesticks  Shian; 
How  are  you  fiddlesticks!  " 

The  volume  of  business  the  new  railhead  was  to  do  can  be 
seen  in  other  items : 

' '  Mule  and  Ox  teams  are  pouring  in  from  the  Missouri  Eiver  and 
far  West  to  load  freight  for  Salt  Lake,  Virginia  City,  and  Helena.  Lar- 
amie is  unto  a  beehive." 

"Eighty  thousand  [Mormon]  emigrants  to  arrive  next  month — 
to  disembark  from  train  at  Laramie  to  wagon  trains. ' ' 

However,  the  vanguard  edition  of  the  Index  was  not  long 
to  be  published  in  Laramie.  It  was  to  push  on.  The  Freemans' 
enterprise  in  keeping  up  with  the  railroad  is  seen  in  the  item  of 
June  2,  which  also  reveals  how  rapidly  towns  mushroomed  and 
also  what  type  of  business  was  first  to  be  at  a  new  location. 

The  item : 

"North  Platte  crossing  is  quite  a  burg.  A  gentleman  tells  us  there 
are  60  outfitting  houses,  ten  dance  halls  and  200  saloons  there.  Next 
week  the  Index  will  be  adding  a  printing  office  to  the  place. '  '9 

Of  course  throughout  the  summer  of  '68  there  was  much 
speculation  as  to  what  point  was  to  be  the  "big  winter  town" 
when  the  snows  would  slow  down  and  perhaps  halt  construction. 
Private  individuals  selected  Green  River  as  the  place  to  build 
an  important  city.  In  July,  according  to  Coutant,  the  town  was 
laid  out,  lots  sold,  houses  built  and  by  September  two  thousand 
inhabitants  occupied  the  place.  When  the  railroad  reached  that 
point,  however,  the  company  bridged  the  river  and  went  on 
without  paying  the  least  attention  to  the  enterprising  town-lot 
speculators  who  expected  to  make  money  by  forcing  the  com- 
pany to  recognize  a  large  town.  Years  before  this,  there  had 
been  an  important  trading  station  at  this  place,  it  being  an  old 
emigrant  crossing. i° 

The  first  Index  edition  to  be  published  under  a  Green  River 
City  date  line  was  on  August  11.  That  the  Freemans  also  ex- 
pected the  place  to  boom  is  indicated  in  this  first  edition : 


9.  There  is  no  evidence  that  the  plant  was  moved  as  this  article 
indicated.  The  next  reference  to  the  move  to  Benton  came  in  early 
July  and  by  late  July  the  Laramie  plant  was  moved  there.  It  is  difficult 
to  check  the  movements  of  the  Index  because  the  Freemans '  enthusiasm 
sometimes  leads  to  over  statement. 

10.  Coutant,   pp.    682-683. 


PEESS  ON  WHEf:LS  309 

"We  have  anotlier  brand  new  office  with  a  i)Ower  press,  witli  our 
Benton  edition,  and  whenever  the  business  of  this  place  demands  it,  we 
will  have  the  whole  of  it  come  on  here  and  then  start  a  daily  paper." 

"The  company  certainly  intends  to  build  round  houses  and  machine 
shops  here.  This  is  a  natural  point.  God  Almighty  made  it  so  and  the 
railroad  company  does  not  propose  to  unmake  it." 

That  Green  River  City  was  quite  a  well  orfranized  town  by 
the  time  the  Index  set  up  shop  there  is  indicated  by  the  first 
chapter  of  city  ordinances  published  in  the  first  edition.  The  or- 
dinances included  penalties  and  fines  for :  carrying  concealed 
weapons  in  the  city  limits;  shooting  in  the  city  limits;  appear- 
ing on  the  streets  or  in  public  places  in  a  drunken  condition  ; 
disturbing  the  peace  and  fighting ;  indecent  public  exposure. 

An  eloquent  commentary  on  the  spirit  of  the  times  is  ap- 
parent in  the  fact  that  the  very  next  issue  of  the  Index  followed 
with  a  new  and  additional  ordinance  making  it  "unlawful  to 
resist  an  officer  in  the  discharge  of  his  lawful  duties." 

Legh  R.  Freeman,  who  became  editor  of  the  vanguard  edi- 
tion of  the  Index  at  Green  River  City,  showed  the  same  enthu- 
siasm for  the  town  that  his  brother,  Fred,  had  for  Laramie. 

Soon,  however,  everyone  was  again  on  the  move  and  with 
them  the  Index.  The  rush  next  was  to  Bryan,  from  which  sta- 
tion a  stage  was  to  run  to  South  Pass.  Ads  in  the  Index  boasted 
that  "Brvan,  the  winter  town  of  the  V.  P.  R.  R.  on  the  Black's 
Fork  .  .  ."  will  unquestionable  be  THE  BEST  TOWN  for  trade 
between  Omaha  and  Salt  Lake  City."  The  ads  were  signed  by 
a  U.  P.  real  estate  agent. 

Bryan  promised  well,  but  somehow  those  who  had  so  often 
been  disappointed  had  little  faith  in  its  future  and  when  a  new 
town  was  announced  on  Bear  River  most  of  the  peo]ile  stanqieded 
to  that  point. 

On  September  29,  Freeman  wrote: 

"OFF  FOR  BEAR  RIVER 

"There  is  a  perfect  stanqjede  for  the  railroad  crossing  of  Bear 
Eiver.  Because  of  Echo  tunnel,  the  divide  between  Bear  River  and 
Weber  river  with  detained  track  laying  all  winter,  the  mouth  of  Sul- 
phur Creek  on  Bear  River  is  the  jdace  where  wholesale  houses  will  locate 
in  the  shape  of  a  winter  town,  the  great  winter  metropolis — the  Shian 
No.  2."' 

By  October  l;5  the  first  edition  of  the  Ind(X  uniler  a  Bear 
River  City  date  line  was  printed.  And  Freeman  was  boosting 
the  virtues  of  this  new  location  as  had  been  done  by  the  "press 
on  wheels"  so  many  times  previously.  Freeman's  eloquence 
soon  was  to  bring  about  his  plant's  destruction,  but  before  re- 
lating the  final  days  of  this  rare  product  of  the  frontier,  your 
reviewer  would  like  to  recount  a  selected  group  of  paragraplis 
which  ti'ive  an  intimate  glimpse  of  life  of  tlie  times. 


310  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

Like  aii}^  other  small  town  newspaper,  the  Index  carried 
many  personal  and  other  paragraphs.  To  the  writer  these  were 
the  most  interesting  reading  of  the  papers. 

A  sample  of  the  ingenuity  of  the  pioneer  ranchmen  is  re- 
vealed in  the  item  of  March  6,  Fort  Sanders.  Dakota  Territory: 

' '  A  ranchman  living  three  hundred  miles  west  of  us,  sent  his  babe, 
one  year  old,  to  Sanders  yesterday,  by  express  to  have  its  picture  taken 
— Mr.  Joseph  Hughes  express  agent  had  the  picture  taken  and  returned 
the  ' '  ungun ' '  this  a.  m.  to  its  parents,  safe  and  sound,  ' '  right  side  Up. ' ' 

And  in  the  same  issue  something  of  frontier  military  life 
is  shown  in  the  paragraph : 

"Three  soldiers — deserters — who  were  sentenced  by  court  martial 
to  have  their  heads  shaved,  the  letter  "D"  branded  on  the  right  hip,  in 
indellible  ink  and  drummed  out  of  the  fort  were  made  to  feel  the  sen- 
tence on  last  Tuesday.  It  was  a  novel  performance — to  see  them  drum- 
med out  of  camp." 

There  were  few  society  items  in  the  Index.  One  published 
at  Fort  Sanders  shows  typical  Freeman  treatment : 

"PERSONAL   AND   MATRIMONIAL 

''Major  Lou  Lowry — one  of  the  post  traders  at  Sanders — has  just 
returned  with  his  Pennsylvania  bride  and  we  must  be  permitted  to 
say  that  L.  L.  has  displayed  fine  taste  and  good  sound  sense  in  his  se- 
lection of  a  "  life  long  companion. ' '  Numerous  friends  greeted  the  hap- 
py couple  on  arrival. 

' '  Captain  R.  T.  Beart  and  wife  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome  at  their 
house  on  Friday  last.  Mrs.  B.  understands  how  to  make  her  guests 
feel  at  home.  She  entertains  a  house  full  with  as  much  ease  as  Mrs. 
James  Gordon  Bennett  would  one  person  .  .  .  The  supper  was  perfectly 
splendid. ' ' 

Another  Index  comment  on  matrimony : 

' '  A  western  editor  remarks  that  he  is  glad  to  receive  marriage 
notices  but  requests  that  they  be  sent  soon  after  the  ceremony  and 
before  the  divorce  is  applied  for.  He  had  several  notices  spoiled  in 
this  way. ' ' 

That  life  was  cheap  is  evident  in  the  treatment  of  news  of 
death  by  violence.  No  killing  or  accident  received  any  more 
attention  than  one  paragTaph  mention. 

For  Example : 

March  6 : 

"ITEMS  FROM  THE  U.  P.  R.  R.  GRADE 

' '  On  Sunday  night,  one  man  at  Creighton  's  camp  was  shot  through 
his  room  window,  while  preparing  to  retire,  by  some  outside  enemy,  and 
instantly  killed.     Suspicion  rests  upon  one  of  th«  laborers. 

"At  Reynolds  and  Dowling  Camp,  on  Monday  evening,  one  man 
was  blown   up  and  killed  and   another  wounded  while   blasting  rock  in 


PRESS  ON  WHEELS  311 

one    of    the    cuts,    on    the    same    (lay,    one    man    was    seveily    wounded   at 
Miller  and  Patterson  's  camp  })y  a  piece  of  Blasted  rock. 

"(For  these  items  we  are  indebted  to  Drs.  Caldor  and  Finfrock, 
our  untiring  day  and   night   physicians)" 

Or  again  on  June  9 : 

"Two  men  at  Wyoming  Station,  named  Peter  Reed  and  Henry 
Nabbs,  decided  to  fight  a  duel  on  Saturday  evening  last  to  settle  a  dis- 
pute; each  fired  four  rounds  in  quick  succession,  when  NabV)s  dropped 
dead,  being  shot  three  times." 

Even  though  life  in  this  period  of  railroad  building  must 
have  been  vigorous,  to  put  it  mildly,  one  wonders  if  the  story  by 
Fred  K.  Freeman  about  newspaper  correspondents  from  the 
East  might  not  explain  some  of  the  wildest  tales  of  the  woollv 
West. 

In  his  issue  of  June  23,  Freeman  wrote  : 

"It  is  certainly  amusing  to  read  accounts  of  Laramie  City  written 
by  excursionists  and  correspondents  after  their  return  to  tlie  East.  These 
unsophisticated,  flannel  mouthed  devils,  when  they  come  here  think 
they  know  it  all;  when  the  fact  is,  they  don't  know  as  much  as  "a  last 
year's  bird  nest  with  the  bottom  punched  out;"  but  they  invariably 
go  away  after  having  "danced  to  the  tune  of  three  or  four  hundred 
dollars"  very  wise.  They  are  never  satisfied  with  losing  a  hundred  or 
two  at  faro  or  three  card  monte,  but  must  visit  some  of  tlie  dance  houses 
and  squander  as  mueli  more  in  treating  the  ''fair  and  frail''  girls  to 
wine,  whisky,  and  other  such  beastly  fodder;  and  when  they  return  to 
their  senses  and  find  out  how  nicely  tliey  were  inveighled  while  in- 
toxicated, their  indigjiation  knows  no  liounds — hence  the  terrible  name 
they  give  our  city.'' 

J^ut  the  laying  of  the  rails  was  to  revolutionize  life  in  the 
West,  and  many  of  the  interesting  aspects  of  the  frontier  life 
were  soon  to  pass  out  of  the  picture.  As  early  as  Jinie  9.  18fi8. 
Freeman  complained  "We  haven't  had  any  fresh  buffalo  meat 
since  we  left  Julesburg." 

But  back  to  the  final  days  of  the  Fvoniivr  hidrx.  As  your 
reviewer  previously  mentioned,  Legh  R.  Freeman  was  publish- 
ing his  paper  in  Bear  River  City  by  October  13.  lie  continued 
in  his  usual  manner  of  boosting  the  town,  booming  business, 
cursing  the  Republicans,  cultivating  his  ]\lormon  subst-ribers  and 
laying  low  the  unruly  element  of  tlie  new  railroad  t)utpost. 

Coutant  records  that  by  eary  November  Bear  River  Oity 
contained  a  large  population  comiH)sed  mostly  (^f  the  rough  ele- 
ment and  as  a  consequence  robbery  and  nuirdor  were  frequent. 
The  better  element  in  the  town  finally  made  an  effort  to  over- 
awe the  lawless  and  to  accomplish  this  a  vigilance  conunittee  was 
formed  and  arrests  were  made,  prisoners  being  locked  up  in  a 
temporary  jail  which  had  been  provided.  On  Tuesday  night, 
November  11,  three  were  hanged. 


PRESS  ON  \VHP]ELS  313 

Freeman  apparently  was  given  credit  i'oi-  engineering  the 
hangings,  for  in  his  issue  of  Friday,  November  13,  he  wrote : 

"CHIEF   OF   THE   VIGILANTES 

''It  has  been  whispered  tlirough  this  community  that  we  are  ''Chief 
of  the  Vigilantes."  The  report  was  first  instigated  by  one  Charles 
Stebbins  wliom  we  advertised  for  failure  to  pay  us  a  bill  for  job  work 
delivered  to  him  and  for  refusing  to  redeem  check  tickets  which  ho 
passed  upon  our  carrier.  We  have  never  been  connected  with  the  vigi- 
lantes at  any  time  though  we  do  heartily  endorse  their  actions  in  ridding 
the  community  of  a  set  of  creatures  who  are  not  worthy  of  the  name 
of  men,  and  who  cause  our  town  to  be  shunned  l)y  thousands  of  honest 
laborers  in  the  timber  and  on  the  railroad  grade  who  would  otherwise 
come  here  to  spend  their  money  and  enrich  our  tradesmen.  Little  Jack 
O  'Neil,  one  of  the  trio  hung  Tuesday  night  did,  together  with  a  con- 
federate— Jones — knock  down  horribly  mutilate  and  rob  a  man  in  broad 
daylight  in  the  saloon  of  Weaver  and  Bailey  on  Uintah  street  and  Jimmy 
Powers  (not  the  clog  dancer)  was  caught  in  the  net  of  demanding  the 
"money  or  life"  of  a  man  a  few  niglits  prior,  and  Jimmy  Reed  (not  the 
prize  fighter)  garroted  a  party,  and  had  to  be  badly  beaten  before  he 
would  surrender  himself  to  the  officers.  Where  such  open  and  high 
handed  acts  as  these  are  committed  every  hour  of  the  night  or  day,  by 
men  who  follow  murder  and  rol)bery  for  a  livelihood,  we  not  only  justify 
the  people  in  administering  a  sure  and  speedy  retribution  but  we  say 
that  we  are  in  favor  of  hanging  several  more  who  are  now  in  our  midst. 

"It  is  well  known  that  wherever  we  have  sojourned  in  the  terri- 
tories, we  have  opposed  violence  in  any  form,  and  given  the  common 
law  priority,  but  when  very  fiends  assume  to  run  our  place  of  publica- 
tion, there  are  plenty  of  men  who  rather  delight  in  doing  the  dirty  work 
of  hanging  without  us,  as  was  evidenced  Tuesday  night,  and  as  will 
be  witnessed  again  if  the  ring  leaders  are  found  in  town  by  midnight 
of  this  Friday,  November  13. ' ' 

The  climax  did  not  come  on  Friday  the  13th,  and  there  was 
one  more  issue  of  the  Index,  the  last  one,  on  Tuesday,  November 
17th,  and  in  this  tinal  issue  there  was  only  slight  reference  to  the 
hangings.  The  seeds  of  rioting,  however,  had  been  sown  by 
Freeman's  remarks  of  the  18th.  Coutant  records  that  the  vig- 
ilance committee  became  bolder  and  wholesale  arrests  were  made. 
This  enraged  the  rough  element  and  a  riot  occurred. 

"To  add  to  the  confusion,"  Coutant  writes,  "tlie  men  belonging  to 
the  different  contractors'  camps  on  the  outside  came  to  town  and  joined 
in  the  riot  and  were  promptly  arrested  and  locked  up.  On  November 
:20,  armed  men  from  the  railroad  cam])  came  into  the  town,  released  all 
the  prisoners  confined  in  the  jail  and  then  applied  the  torch  to  tlie 
building.  They  next  visited  the  Frontier  liuitx  office,  wliich  paper 
had  boldly  proclaimed  the  necessity  of  law  and  order,  applied  the  match 
and  the  building  and  its  contents  were  consumed.  The  town  was  abun- 
dantly supplied  with  a  police  force,  but  these  were  heljiless  in  this 
emergency.  The  assistance  of  troops  was  asked  for  from  Fort  Bridger 
to  quell  the  riot  but  these  did  not  arrive  until  S  o'clock  of  the  morning 
of  the  21st  when  order  was  restored.  In  this  riot  no  inie  was  killed  but 
several  were  badly  injured.  Mr.  Freeman,  the  editor  of  the  Index  was 
the  o-ieatest  loser,  his  newsitajier  plant  being  entirely  destroyed.  This 
outrage    was    deeply    regretted    by   all    the    well    meaning    people    of    the 


314  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

town  but  there  was  no  redress  and  so  Mr.  Freeman  was  obliged  to  suffer 
in  silence  the  loss  of  his  property.  "H 

Elizabeth  Arnold  Stone  in  her  Uinta  County  Its  Place  in 
History  records  the  following  concerning  the  riot:^^ 

"A  Frenchman  named  Alex  Topence,  who  had  the  contract  for  fur- 
nishing beef  .  .  .  rode  down  to  Freeman 's  and  urged  the  animal  on  the 
editor  with  the  advice  to  "go  while  the  going  was  good."  His  counsel 
was  acted  upon,  and  none  too  soon,  for  the  mob  marched  across  the 
gully,  ransacked  the  premises  and  destroyed  all  of  the  contents,  in- 
cluding the  type,  and  burned  the  building  to  the  ground. 

''Dr.  Frank  H.  Harrison,  a  young  physician  who  kept  pace  with 
the  building  of  the  road,  kept  an  office  in  the  town  as  well  as  a  hos- 
pital tent  on  the  Muddy.  He  was  returning  from  the  latter  place,  where 
he  had  been  attending  some  patients,  when  the  picture  of  Freeman  caught 
his  eye.  To  use  the  doctor's  words:  "He  was  travelling  so  fast  that 
you  could  have  played  checkers  on  his  coattails. ' ',  and  was  making  for 
Fort  Bridger  to  get  help. ' ' 

Thus  came  the  end  of  the  Frontier  Index,  the  press  on 
wheels. 

At  least  this  riot  marked  the  end  of  publication  in  Wyo- 
ming. What  happened  to  the  Freemans  after  the  destruction 
of  their  equipment  is  uncertain.  According  to  one  account  they 
resumed  publication  of  the  Index  and  took  it  across  the  country 
to  Washington.  Another  story  places  them  in  Montana  several 
years  later,  with  a  paper  similar  to  the  Index  but  with  another 
name.^^ 


11.  History  of  Wyoming,  p.   683. 

12.  Stone,    Elizabeth    Arnold,    Uinta    County,    Its   Place    in   History, 
jjp.  83-4. 

13.  There  are  many  stories  on  what  happened  to  the  Index.  The  most 
complete  record  is  fouiid  in  footnote  11  of  McMurtrie 's  account. 


JOHN  ALEXANDER  OSBORNE 

June  29,  1866  -  December  23,   1935 

By  Mrs.  Meta  Osborne='= 

Tn  the  last  analysis,  History  may  be  defined  as  the  record 
of  principles  manifested  through  personalities.  It  is  men  who 
make  history  and  not  history  which  makes  men,  althoufrh  there 
is  an  inevitable  interplay  between  character  and  circumstance. 
One  man  succeeds  in  a  certain  set  of  circumstances,  wherein 
another  fails.  The  circumstances  are  the  same  but  the  cliar- 
acters  are  not,  hence  the  subsecpient   histories   are   different. 

The  subject  of  this  brief  history  is  truly  worthy  of  a 
place  of  honor  in  the  records  of  the  pioneers  of  Wyoming. 
John  Alexander  Osborne,  the  third  son  and  fourth  child  of 
Joseph  and  Janet  Osboriie,  was  born  on  June  29,  1866,  on  a 
farm  in  Plympton  Township,  County  of  Lambton,  Ontario, 
Canada.  It  is  an  interesting  coincidence  that  this  farm  was 
located  a  little  over  a  mile  west  of  the  village  of  Wyoming.^ 
There  was,  of  course,  no  idea  that  the  child  would  come  to 
spend  the  major  portion  of  his  life  in  Wyoming  as  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  State  and  become  one  of  the  leading  citizens. 
He  attended  the  district  school  in  school  section  4i/o  until  he 
was  twelve  years  old.  After  that  he  attended  only  about  three 
terms  in  the  winter  seasons,  being  employed  on  the  farm  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  the  year. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  became  an  apprentice  in  a  foundry 
or  a  machine  shop,  but  being  injured  in  the  eye  l\v  a  piece  of 
steel  he  was  discouraged  from  further  efforts  in  that  direction. 

In  April  1884  he  bade  goodliye  to  Canada  and  went  to 
western  Nebraska  to  join  an  older  brother  who  was  Avorking 
on  a  cattle  ranch  near  the  present  site  of  Cluidron.  Mr.  Os- 
borne worked  here  two  years,  participating  in  all  the  activities 
associated  with  ranch  life — roundups,  branding  and  trailing 
stock  to  Valentine,  Nebraska,  the  nearest  shipping  point.  In 
the  fall  of  1885  his  duty  was  to  butcher  and  deliver  beef  to 
the  construction  crews  building  the  railroad  from  Chadron 
to  Buffalo  Gaix  South   Dakota. 


*Mrs.  Meta  Osborno,  wulow  of  Mr.  .lolui  A.  Osborno,  eompilod  this 
article  with  the  a.ssistanco  of  ^Ir.  V.  Lewis,  pioneer  eowboy,  and  others. 
The  manuscript  was  presented  to  the  Wvoiuiujj  Historical  Pei>artnuMit 
by  Mr.  M.  W.  Parker  of  Denver,  a  close  friend  of  the  Osbornes.  Mrs. 
Osborne  resides  at  Buffalo,  Wyoniino;. 

1.  Located  on  the  Canadian  side  of  the  St.  Clair  River  not  far 
from  Port  Huron,  Michigan. 


316  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

The  North  American  Cattle  Company^  shipped  cattle 
from  Smithwick,  South  Dakota,  near  Chadron,  a  shipping 
point  on  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  Railroad.  While  on 
one  of  these  shipping  trips  they  lost  a  mule.  Mr.  Osborne 
found  the  mule  and  learned  that  the  North  American  Cattle 
Company  was  located  in  northeastern  Wyoming.  The  spring 
of  1886  found  him  moving  farther  west.  He  came  to  north- 
eastern Wyoming  bringing  the  mule  with  him.  He  returned 
the  mule  to  the  Company  and  was  given  a  job. 

The  North  American  Cattle  Company  sold  out  to  the 
Western  Union  Beef  Company.  The  home  ranch  of  this  con- 
cern was  the  7D  at  Fort  Stockton,  Texas.  The  headquarters 
in  Wyoming  was  called  the  Half  Circle  L  and  was  under  the 
management  of  W.  P.  Ricketts.^  Other  ranches  belonging  to 
the  Western  Union  Beef  Company  were :  the  Cross  Half  Circle 
at  Brush,  Colorado,  called  the  Brush  Cattle  Company ;  the  L.  U. 
on  Grass  Creek  in  the  Big  Horn  Basin ;  the  E  K  at  Mayoworth, 
Wyoming ;  the  4  P  at  the  mouth  of  the  Whalon  Canyon  in  the 
Platte  River  Valley ;  the  Double  Mule  Shoe  in  Texas ;  the  Sand- 
stone Ranch  at  Ekalaka,  Montana.  On  these  several  ranches 
the  Company  ran  about  300,000  head  of  cattle.  From  15,000 
to  20,000'  cattle  were  trailed  into  the  north  from  Texas  each 
year. 

One  winter  Mr.  Osborne  and  Mr.  Charles  Hall  fed  about 
a  thousand  calves  branded  4  R  4.  The  feeding  ground  was 
on  Horse  Creek  near  Cheyenne.  Their  spare  time  was  spent  in 
breaking  the  7  L  horses  to  ride,  Charlie  Hall  being  chief 
bronco  buster.  These  horses  were  brought  from  the  Basin 
country  and  were  most  difficult  to  break  as  they  were  mean, 
but  they  made  wonderful  saddle  horses  when  once  mastered. 

A  bunch  of  these  horses  drifted  back  to  their  old  range 
and  Mr.  Osborne  went  after  them.  While  he  was  driving 
them  from  the  Sweetwater  country  to  the  Half  Circle  L  Ranch, 
some  of  them  played  out  and  he  was  compelled  to  stop  for 
the  night.  It  was  late  evening  in  the  winter  and  forty-five 
degrees  below  zero  with  snow  on  the  ground.  He  had  neither 
bed  nor  supplies  with  him,  and  in  order  to  keep  warm  he 
spent  the  night  walking  back  and  forth  in  the  creek  bottom 
behind  a  high  bank,  going  out  at  intervals  to  prevent  the 
horses  from  grazing  too  far  away.     In  the  morning  the  horses 


2.  The  post  office  address  was  Cheyenne,  and  the  range  was  on 
Little  Powder  and  Horse  Creek.  Charles  G.  Weir  was  general  manager 
at  this  time. 

3.  W.  P.  Eicketts,  born  in  Kentucky  in  1859,  located  in  Wyoming 
in  1875  where  he  rode  the  range  for  twenty-four  years  and  engaged  in 
the  cattle  business  for  himself  in  1898.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Wyo- 
ming House  of  Eepresentatives  in  1911-13  and  chairman  of  the  first 
board  of  county  commissioners  of  Campbell   County,  Wyoming,   1913-15. 


JOHN  ALEXANDER  OSBORNE  317 

were  sufficiently  rested,  so  he  started  on  toward  Gillette. 
When  he  arrived  at  the  Hoe  horse  ranch  he  found  three  cow- 
boys camped  in  a  cabin  there  for  the  winter,  and  he  spent  the 
balance  of  the  day  and  a  night  with  them  before  continuing 
on  his  way.  The  Half  Circle  L  used  about  fourteen  hundred 
head  of  saddle  horses. 

One  day,  when  goino;  from  the  Half  Circle  L  Ranch  to  the 
Dana  Cabin  country  on  Spotted  Horse  Creek,  he  noticed  a  bunch 
of  horses  grazing  on  a  hillside  about  a  half  mile  awaj'.  By  their 
short  tails  he  knew  they  were  saddle  horses  and  rode  over  to 
look  at  them.  He  noticed  one  Half  Circle  L  horse  in  the  bunch 
and  was  looking  at  him  when  he  saw  two  men  riding  toward  him 
from  the  south.  When  they  arrived  they  gathered  up  the  horses 
and  drove  them  to  their  camp  in  the  bottom  of  a  deep  draw 
where  there  was  some  brush  on  the  banks,  about  a  half  mile  to 
the  south  of  where  the  horses  were  grazing.  John  Osborne  rode 
along  with  them,  and  when  they  reached  their  camp  they  put 
the  horses  in  their  rope  corral.  Mr.  Osborne  dismounted,  took 
his  rope,  went  into  the  corral  and  roped  the  Half  Circle  L  horse, 
led  him  out  of  the  corral,  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  aAvay, 
leading  the  horse  he  had  roped.  Not  a  Avord  was  spoken  during 
all  this  time.  These  men  were  members  of  a  baiul  of  rustlers 
from  the  "Hole-in-the-Wall'"  in  Johnson  County. 

The  Western  Union  Beef  Company  bought  about  3,000 
head  of  yearlings  in  Oregon.  The  weather  turned  cold,  snow 
came  and  it  Avas  impossible  to  move  them.  The  winter  of  1893 
found  Mr.  Osborne  in  Oreg'on  feeding  these  cattle.  One  incident 
of  this  winter  he  often  recalled  with  amusement.  The  man  Avho 
sold  him  hay  bragged  of  his  ability  to  tigure  the  amount  of  hay 
in  the  stacks.  He  did  not  know  that  ^Ir.  Osborne  also  e.xcelled 
in  that  art,  and  iMr.  Osborne  said  that  the  man  tigui-ed  himself 
short  in  every  stack. 

In  the  spring-  of  1894  Mr.  Osborne  shipped  these  cattle  to 
Las  Animas,  Colorado.  The  cow  hands  and  wagons  from  the 
Half  Circle  L  met  him  there  and  they  took  to  the  trail.  On 
reaching  the  Platte  River  they  fouiul  it  running  high,  and  it  was 
no  easy  task  to  get  the  herd  to  swim  across.  He  asked  permis- 
sion to  take  the  wagons  across  the  railroad  bridge.  Driving 
from  the  Platte  River  Mr.  Osborne  was  not  well  acquainted 
with  the  watering  places,  and  sometimes  distances  were  great 
between  them.  One  day  the  cattle  were  greatly  in  need  of  water 
and  kept  all  haiuls  bu.sy  urging  them  on.  Sutldenly  their  animal 
instinct  told  them  that  there  was  water  over  the  next  hill  or 
two.  The  herd  stampeded  and  it  was  ditlicult  ti)  keei^  up  with 
them.  The  water  consisted  of  a  snuill  reservtiir  close  to  a  little 
home.  The  herd  rushed  nuully  into  it.  carrying  all  fences  with 
them.     The  familv  wash  that  had  been  Hutterins;  in  the  breeze 


318  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

was  trampled  in  the  dirt.  The  garden  was  also  ruined  and  a 
child  or  two  narrowly  escaped. 

There  was  an  irate  woman  to  face.  Mr.  Osborne  tried  to 
convince  her  that  they  had  been  powerless  to  stop  the  rush  and 
assured  her  that  they  would  settle  for  the  damage.  This  was 
done  and  they  picked  up  the  herd  and  left  the  sorry  sight  behind. 

The  Overland  Texas  Trail  crossed  at  Brush,  Colorado,  then 
to  Pine  Bluffs,  Wyoming,  on  north  and  across  the  Cheyenne 
River  at  the  A  IT  7  Ranch,  up  Lodge  Pole  Creek  to  the  mouth  of 
Hay  Creek,  then  up  the  divide  to  the  head  of  Buffalo  Creek, 
down  Buffalo  Creek  and  across  the  Belle  Fourche  at  Moor- 
croft,  Wyoming,  then  up  Trail  Creek  to  the  head  of  Cottonwood, 
down  Cottonwood  to  the  mouth,  clown  Little  Powder  River  to 
the  mouth,  then  down  Big  Powder  to  the  Yellowstone  River  and 
on  to  the  British  possessions. 

In  1894  Mr.  Ricketts  made  Mr.  Osborne  manager  of  the 
Sandstone  Ranch  in  Montana.  The  cattle  were  trailed  from  the 
other  ranches  and  finished  on  the  Montana  range.  They  were 
started  from  this  point  and  shipped  from  Belle  Fourche,  South 
Dakota,  and  from  Fallon,  Montana,  to  the  eastern  markets. 

Mr.  Osborne  was  shipping  a  Half  Circle  L  beef  herd  from 
Belle  Fourche.  It  was  seldom  that  the  cowhands  got  into  town 
and  there  was  always  a  celebrating  and  shooting  out  of  lights 
when  they  did  so.  At  this  particular  time  recklessness  reigned 
and  a  few  of  the  cowboys  were  lodged  in  jail.  This  they  resented 
and  decided  to  set  fire  to  the  jail  to  gain  their  liberty;  but  it 
did  not  prove  as  easy  as  they  expected  and  they  were  almost 
overcome  with  smoke  before  they  were  rescued.  They  not  only 
burned  the  jail  but  the  fire  they  had  started  destroyed  the  town ; 
even  the  bank  was  burned.  The  cashier  loaded  the  money  into 
a  wagon  and  drove  out  in  the  country  with  it.  Mr.  A.  H. 
Marble,  now  of  the  Stockgrowers  Bank  of  Cheyenne,  was  the 
cashier. 

Often  different  cow  outfits  would  get  into  Fallon  to  ship 
cattle  about  the  same  time.  The  N-N,  who  ran  their  cattle  across 
the  Yellowstone,  would  swim  the  beef  across  the  river  and  load 
at  Fallon.  On  one  occasion  the  Half  Circle  L  were  riding  night 
herd.  While  riding  the  last  guard,  a  shot  was  heard  and  then 
the  herd  stampeded.  When  the  cow  hands  went  to  the  wagon 
for  breakfast,  they  found  the  darkie  cook  of  the  N-N  wagon 
shot  and  a  saddle  blanket  thrown  over  him.  Thus  life  in  a 
cow  camp  often  had  its  dramatic  and  tragic  episodes  to  break 
the  monotony. 

The  Montana  life  of  Mr.  Osborne  went  on  in  this  way  for 
four  years.  In  the  spring  of  1898  the  Western  Union  Beef  Com- 
pany sold  out.  There  were  large  shipments  from  all  points,  and 
as  many  as  24,000  head  were  shipped  out  of  Gillette  in  six  weeks. 


JOHN  ALEXANDKE  08B0R.NE  ?.19 

Mr.  Ricketts  boug:ht  the  Half  Ciix-le  L  Ranch  from  the  West- 
ern Union  Beef  Company  and  called  it  tiie  Sunnyside  Ranch. 
It  was  later  disposed  of  and  it  is  now  known  as  the  Padlock 
Ranch.  Mr.  Osborne  returned  to  Half  Circle  L  and  decided  to 
enter  bnsiness  for  himself.  He  bonjjht  a  piece  of  land  fi-om  Mr. 
Ricketts,  a  place  now  known  as  tlie  Platte  Ranch,  but  subse- 
quently turned  it  back  and  bought  the  Laurie  Reed  Homestead 
on  Wild  Cat.'*  Later  he  homesteaded  ojie  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  adjoining  J.  D.  Collins,  who  had  also  homesteaded  on  Wild 
Cat.  The  two  were  very  close  friends  and  entered  into  a  peculiar 
partnership.  Each  owned  land  in  his  own  name  and  also  owned 
land  in  partnership.  They  built  up  a  large  herd  of  cattle,  each 
owning  his  own  brand  but  running  their  cattle  together. 

The  Wild  Cat  country  was  a  gathering  place  for  all  the  Half 
Circle  L  cow  punchers.  Life  on  Wild  Cat  was  characterized  by 
many  hardships  incidental  to  pioneering.  Space  permits  but 
a  few  examples  here.  W.  I).  Rooney^  tells  of  "Sir.  Osborne  freez- 
ing his  nose  doing  the  ranch  chores  when  it  was  60  below  zero. 

Mr.  Osborne  and  Mr.  Walter  Mohnett  built  a  cabin  with  no 
tools  other  than  hammer  and  axe.  They  had  no  tools  for  mak- 
ing holes  in  the  door  to  attach  the  latch.  Pioneering  ingenuity 
suggested  a  novel  way  out  of  the  difficulty.  They  marked  on 
the  door  with  a  pencil  the  places  where  the  holes  were  needed 
and  then  proceeded  to  shoot  the  holes  through  with  a  six  shooter. 
They  shot  from  the  inside  and,  Mr,  Monnett  says,  almost  deaf- 
ened themselves. 

The  pioneers  also  had  to  be  ready  to  perform  acts  of  neigh- 
borliness.  Mrs.  A.  S.  Bent,  a  resident  of  this  district,  died  and 
Mr.  Osborne  and  ^Ir.  Rooney  went  to  render  aid.  ]\lr.  Osborne 
said  they  would  have  tt)  batlie  her  face  in  soda  water  to  keep  it 
from  discoloring.  He  pi-oceeded  to  do  this  while  Mr.  Rooney 
went  to  get  j\Irs.  Gupton,  a  neighbor  who  lived  several  miles 
away.  When  they  returned  about  4  :30  A.  M.  they  found  Mr. 
Osborne  sound  asleep  and  the  dead  woman  in  the  ad.ioining 
room.  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Bent  liad  taken  squatters'  rights  on  the 
land  now  owned  by  Harve  Swart/... 

On  February  7,  IDIO.  ]\Ir.  (Osborne  proved  uji  on  his  home- 
stead on  Wild  Cat.  In  that  year  he  joined  the  ^lasonic  Order, 
belonging  to  the  Blue  Lodge  of  which  he  was  made  ^Lister  in 
1917.  He  was  also  elected  treasurer  aiul  served  as  such  for 
nineteen  consecutive  years,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
also  joined  the  Consistory  and  the  Shrine. 

4.     North  of  (lillotto  in  Cainpboll  County. 

o.  William  O.  Koonoy,  horn  in  Xobraska  in  1S71.  began  ridinji  the 
range  in  Nebraska  and  Wyoming  at  the  age  of  11.  He  took  up  i>erina- 
nent  residenee  in  ISSCi  in  Crook  County  (in  that  part  which  i.-«  now 
Campbell  County).  From  181>1  to  li>01  he  worked  for  the  Western  rnioii 
Beef   Company  after   wliieli   he   engaged    in    ranehing  for  himself. 


320  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

The  State  Legislature  on  February  13,  1911,  divided  the 
counties  of  Crook  and  Weston  to  form  Campbell  County.  Mr. 
Osborne  was  one  of  the  Provisional  Commissioners  appointed 
by  Governor  Joseph  M.  Carey  to  organize  Campbell  County. 

The  winter  of  1911  and  1912  was  very  severe  following  a 
very  dry  summer.  Mr.  Osborne  and  Mr.  Collins  were  compelled 
to  move  their  cattle  to  the  Yellowstone  River  country  in  Mon- 
tana to  feed.  Mr.  Osborne  took  part  in  this  migration  and 
wintering  of  cattle. 

On  December  8,  1913,  Mr.  Osborne  sold  his  ranch  on  Wild 
Cat  to  Mr.  J.  D.  Collins,  with  whom  he  had  been  so  intimately 
associated  for  so  many  years.  He  then  bought  the  Tibbs  Ranch 
and  ran  it  for  a  year:  In  1914  he  sold  out  to  Archie  Tompkins 
and  Earnest  Lynde.  This  terminated  Mr.  Osborne's  direct 
administration  of  a  ranch. 

His  next  move  was  to  Gillette  where  he  resided  at  the 
Goings  House,  then  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Deacon  Wilson  and 
later  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  J.  Chassell.'^  He  engaged  in  the 
business  of  real  estate,  loans  and  buying  and  selling  cattle. 
From  May  18,  1918,  to  March  31,  1919,  Mr.  Osborne  served 
on  the  local  board  whose  duty  it  was  to  supervise  the  enlist- 
ment of  men  for  the  American  Expeditionary  Force  under  the 
act  governing  the  reg"ulation  of  military  service.  He  also 
worked  actively  as  an  official  of  the  local  Red  Cross  Chapter, 
being  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board  for  four  years. 

In  1919  Mr.  Osborne  entered  the  banking  business  and 
continued  in  this  until  April  15,  1933.  This  was  a  period 
marked  by  trying  ordeals,  and  he  carried  heavy  loads  of  re- 
sponsibility with  courage,  fortitude,  equanimity  and  above  all 
things,  with  integrity,  or  as  the  French  say — sans  peur  et  sans 
reproche — without  fear  and  without  reproach. 

In  1922  Mr.  Osborne  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Meta 
Walter,  who,  with  her  brothers,  had  ranch  interests  on  Clear 
Creek  between  Ucross  and  Buffalo. 

Mr.  Osborne  served  on  the  Campbell  Countv  Hio-h  School 
Board  from  May  17,  1921,  until  July  9,  1923."  He^  acted  as 
secretary,  but  when  his  time  expired  he  would  not  run  again. 

From  1925  until  the  time  of  his  demise  Mr.  Osborne  was 
honored  by  being  appointed  a  member  of  the  Stat3  Board  of 
Education.  While  not  an  academic  man,  he  waj  qualified  by 
wisdom  and  experience  to  give  good  counsol  on  the  practical 
matters  pertaining  to  education. 

6.  Harry  J.  Chassell  located  in  Wyoming  in  1888  when  he  began 
teaching  school  in  Crook  County.  Following  a  year  of  teaching  he  be- 
came the  manager  of  the  Adams  Brothers  Mercantile  establishment  at 
Gillette  where  he  later  engaged  in  that  business  and  in  stock  raising  for 
himself.  Prominent  in  both  civic  and  state  affairs,  he  served  in  the 
Wyoming  State  Senate  from  1915-1923. 


JOHN  ALEXANDEK   OSBORNE  321 

111  1983  Mr.  Osborne  <iave  up  the  l)aiiking  activities  hut 
continued  with  liis  insurance  liusiness  and  entered  into  part- 
nership with  Mr.  F.  L.  Barlow''  who  had  l)een  associated  with 
him  in  the  bank.  Mr.  Osliorne  was  appointed  an  inspector 
under  the  Regional  Agricultural  Credit  Corporation,  the  Wyo- 
ming Production  Credit  Association  and  acted  as  inspector  of 
cattle  and  sheep  in  the  interest  of  banks  in  Omaha,  Sheridan, 
Buffalo  and  Gillette.  In  this  capacity  he  functioned  faithfully, 
efficiently  and  as  a  friendly  advisor  to  the  corporations  and 
their  clients.  He  had  the  happy  faculty  of  comhinin<z'  .sound 
judgment  in  the  ranching  and  cattle  business  with  a  fair  and 
kindly  appreciation  and  understanding  of  the  stockman's 
problems.  He  was  untiring  in  the  execution  of  his  duties, 
riding  the  range  in  all  seasons  to  make  a  real  inspection,  but 
lie  did  his  duty  in  such  a  kindly  manner  that  he  made  no 
enemies  in  the  performance  of  it.  It  was  while  he  was  on  one 
of  these  arduous  trips  in  the  deep  snow  of  193r)  that  he  was 
suddently  stricken  and  passed  to  his  reward.  Interested  and 
active  to  the  last  in  the  cattle  business  to  which  he  devoted 
nearly  fifty-two  years  of  his  life,  he  was  truly,  as  the  song 
says,  "Home  on  the  Range." 


ANNOUNCEMENT 

In  order  to  help  meet  the  additional  cost  in  publicatitui 
of  the  ANNALS  OF  WYOIMING  and  continue  to  jiresent  the 
magazine  in  the  form  which  has  been  used  for  the  last  three 
years,  starting  with  the  April  1939  issue,  it  has  been  necessary 
to  increase  the  price.  Effective  with  the  January  1943  issue 
the  subscription  charge  will  be  ^l.oO  a  year  or  45^  per  copy. 

It  is  lioped  that  (uir  readers  liave  found  the  ANNALS  to 
be  sufficiently  interesting  and  rich  in  historical  information  to 
continue  their  support  to  this  State  historical  magazine  in 
which  a  special  effort  has  been  made  to  present  lieretofore 
unpublished  diaries  and  manuscripts  of  importance  to  the 
State,  by  renewing  their  subscriptions  and  telling  others  about 
the  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING. 


7.     Mr.  Fred  L.  Biirlow  is  at  present  eniraged  in  the  real  estate  and 
insurance   business   in   Gillette  and   is   servinjr  as  a   V.  S.   Commissioner. 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES 

In  presenting  historical  information  one  often  runs  into 
unforeseen  difficulties.  In  preparing  the  next  installment  of  the 
Wyoming  place  names  series,  it  is  felt  that  a  further  search  as 
to  the  authenticity  of  some  of  the  remaining  material  is  advisable 
and  it  has  not  been  possible  to  do  this  in  time  for  the  October 
issue.  The  first  two  installments  appeared  in  the  April  and  July 
1942  issues  and  it  is  hoped  that  publication  of  the  material 
may  be  continued  in  the  January  1943  issue. 

Therefore,  in  place  of  the  third  installment,  it  is  felt  that 
the  readers  of  the  ANNALS  may  be  interested  in  learning  of  a 
manuscript  which  was  recently  received  by  the  State  Historical 
Department.  It  is  a  booklet  entitled  Some  Wyoming  Place 
Names,  Their  Origin  and  Meaning  and  is  written  by  the  Junior 
Group,  grades  seven  and  eight,  of  the  Wind  River  Vocational 
High  School,  Ft.  Washakie,  Wyoming,  under  the  direction  of 
Miss  Helen  Overholt,  teacher,  and  Mr.  H.  C.  Lockett,  principal. 

Approximately  three  hundred  origins  of  names  have  been 
compiled  and  the  booklet,  printed  by  hectograph,  is  profusely 
illustrated  by  the  pupils  whose  imaginations  were  allowed  free 
play  in  the  interpretation  of  the  names  by  sketches.  A  bibliog- 
raphy is  included  and  credit  is  given  to  each  source  of  infor- 
mation. 

The  purpose  and  method  of  procedure  are  fully  explained 
by  Miss  Overholt  in  the  Introduction: 

"This  study  was  suggested  by  Mr.  Lockett.  When  first 
mentioned  to  the  children  it  met  with  scant  enthusiasm. 

'''White  peoples'  names,'  remarked  one  young  hopeful, 
'have  no  meaning,  and  we  already  know  the  meanings  of  the 
Indian  names.' 

"A  bit  of  inquiry,  however,  revealed  the  fact  that  although 
all  the  class  knew  that  Ft.  Washakie  was  named  for  Chief  Wash- 
akie, no  one — not  even  the  chief's  great  granddaughter — knew 
the  meaning  of  the  word  "washakie."  Everyone — myself  in- 
cluded— had  to  admit  total  ignorance  regarding  nearby  place 
names  as  St.  Michaels,  Ray  Lake,  Burris,  Lander,  even  Wind 
River — for  it  is  a  common  boast  among  the  inhabitants  that 
The  Warm  Valley  is  7iot  windy.  The  children  began  to  be  curi- 
ous, and  to  ask  questions  at  home  and  of  their  friends  and 
neighbors. 

"Presently  one  child  reported  that  a  neighbor  knew  about 
the  naming  of  a  number  of  places.  He  was  invited  to  visit  the 
class,  and  his  talk  was  found  to  be  very  entertaining. 

"Bj^  this  time  the  group  were  quite  'sold'  on  the  study. 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  there  was  a  very  heavy  percentage  of 
non-readers  among  them,  they  began  hunting  through  all  avail- 


WYOMING  PLACE  NAMES  323 

able  Wyomiiio;  material  for  place  name  meaiiiiij?s.  At  first  we 
had  intended  to  consider  only  Reservation  names,  but  no  child 
finding  the  meaning  of  a  name  wished  it  omitted,  so  we  extended 
our  study  to  include  all  Wyoming. 

"We  soon  discovered  that  little  had  been  written  on  this 
subject.  We  began  writing  letters  to  other  schot  Is.  After  -^ach 
pupil  had  written  several  by  hand,  a  form  letter  was  hecto- 
graphed  and  sent  out  first  to  schools,  then  to  postmasters.  ]Many 
very  interesting  answers  were  received.  No  child  considered  his 
.day  complete  until  he  had  read  every  word  of  each  letter,  re- 
gardless of  how  little  interest  he  showed  in  reading  other  things. 

"Finally  each  child — or  sometimes  a  group  of  two  or  three 
— assumed  responsibility  for  one  letter  (jf  the  alphabet ;  listed 
all  the  names  beginning  with  that  letter;  arranged  them  alpha- 
betically ;  collected  and  arranged  the  information  on  each  one 
(very  often  the  wording  used  in  source  material  was  copied, 
but  pertinent  facts  from  several  different  sources  were  fre- 
quently selected).  The  unabridged  dictionai-y  was  consulted 
to  find  meanings — if  any — of  proper  names  which  had  been 
transferred  from  a  person  to  a  place. 

"All  this  being  done,  the  group  selected  illustrations  for  the 
names  for  which  they  were  responsible,  ^lany  of  these  illus- 
trations had  already  been  prepared  either  by  the  pupil  who 
had  found  the  name  meaning  in  the  first  place,  or  by  some  one 
who  thought  of  an  illustration  when  the  meaning  was  reported 
to  the  group.  Where  illustrations  were  lacking  the  group  either 
made  the  missing  ones  themselves  or  enlisted  the  hel)i  of  some 
one  else  in  doing  so. 

"The  study  has  been  most  valuable  in  gi\ing  a  group  of 
children,  who  had  little  interest  in  reading,  the  joy  of  finding  in- 
formation for  themselves  from  the  printed  page,  and  also  finding 
what  printed  page  such  information  could  be  gleanetl  from.  We 
had  some  fifty  numbers  of  the  ANNALS  OF  WVOMFNG  and 
a  niimber  of  "The  Casper  Tribune-Herald""  yearly  magazine 
numbers  which  contain  much  Wyoming  history.  The  bit)liog- 
raphy  shows  the  number  and  variety  of  sources  from  which  ma- 
terial was  obtained.^  1  knew  no  more  than  the  children  about 
where  this  information  Avas  to  be  found,  so  they  have  had  vo 
hunt  it  up  for  themselves. 

"The  study  has  been  more  or  less  a  side  line  for  two  veal's. 
We  devoted  a  few  regular  class  periods  to  it.  When  a  ••hilil 
found  a  piece  of  usable  infonnation.  he  reported  it  to  the  vdass. 
and  filed  liis  written  at  coii:;t  in  the  basket  we  kejU  for  that  pur- 

1.  Tlio  biblioo-rnpliy  iiu'hules  tlu'  AXXAL8  OV  WYOMl'SG.  news- 
papers, talks  by  local  people,  inquiries,  translations  by  pupils,  litoraturo 
from  State  Deitartuients,  maps,  biennial  reports,  liiglnvay  jnarkers, 
magazines  and   eighteen   liistorieal   books. 


324  ANNALS  OF  WYOMING 

pose.  Anyone  who  felt  inspired  to  do  so  made  illustrations  and 
filed  them  in  another  basket.  Only  after  we  began  to  prepare 
work  for  final  typing  was  much  class  time  devoted  to  it. 

"The  pupils  who  participated  in  this  study  have,  I  feel, 
gained  much  knowledge  of  Wyoming  history  and  geography,  an 
appreciation  of  Indian  contributions  to  names  and  to  history — 
not  alone  in  Wyoming,  but  in  other  parts  of  the  country  as 
well — ,  a  knowledge  of  how  information  is  gathered  and  evalu- 
ated (sometimes  our  information  from  different  sources  has 
been  conflicting).  Last  but  by  no  means  least,  the  use  of  this 
concrete  material  which  they  could  not  understand  and  deal 
with  on  their  own,  gave  to  this  group  of  children  a  respect  for 
their  own  ability  to  obtain  information  from  ordinary  written 
material — not  books  that  they  could  readily  identify  as  having 
been  written  for  children  much  younger  than  themselves." 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  school  projects  on  Wyoming  history 
that  has  yet  been  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  present  staff 
of  the  State  Historical  Department.  May  this  be  a  suggestion 
for  similar  study  projects  in  other  schools  of  Wyoming,  as 
through  them,  besides  the  gaining  of  knowledge  of  the  State 
and  its  past,  there  is  created  in  these  young  people  a  great  feel- 
ing of  pride  and  unwavering  confidence  in  its  future. 


DO  YOU  KNOW  THAT— 

The  first  lady  to  vote  in  Cheyenne  was  Mrs.  Church  Howe, 
the  wife  of  the  United  States  Marshal?  The  following  story 
was  carried  in  the  Cheyenne  Daily  Leader  of  September  6,  1870, 
when  women,  under  the  Woman  Suffrage  Act,  voted  for  the 
first  time.  "At  noon  today  the  election  was  progressing  quietly, 
in  this  city.  Many  ladies  have  voted  and  without  molestation 
or  interference.  Indications  are  that  the  vote  of  this  city  will 
reach  between  eight  and  nine  hundred.  The  regular  Republican 
ticket,  so  far  as  can  be  judged  from  appearances,  is  largeh'' 
ahead.  The  first  lady  voting  in  Cheyenne  was  Mrs.  Howe,  the 
wife  of  the  U.  S.  Marshal.  Hers  w^as  a  straight  Republican 
ticket.  The  ladies  of  all  classes  seem  to  favor  the  Republican 
nominees. ' ' 

The  first  Chinamen  to  have  visited  the  city  of  Cheyenne 
arrived  on  June  26,  1869  ? — (Wyoming  Weekly  Leader,  June  26, 
1869.) 

The  Union  Pacific  opened  its  first  coal  mine  at  the  ' '  old  town ' ' 
of  Carbon,  now  a  "ghost"  town  (1868)  ? — (Beard,  Wyoming 
from  Territorial  Days  to  the  Present,  p.  231.) 


STORIES  AND  LIFE 
By  Addison  E.  Sheldoii='= 

(From    Histories    and    Siorles    of   Nebraska) 

Stories  are  the  liarp-striiigs  of  history,  transforming  the 
past  into  melody  and  rhythm.  The  l)est  stories  live  forever  in 
th